


Timing

by EmmieFitz



Category: Impractical Jokers
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-08-28 11:11:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 48,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8443558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmieFitz/pseuds/EmmieFitz
Summary: Dr. Cecelia Mercury has worked as part of the Impractical Jokers crew since 2012 and for the most part, her job is quiet. The quiet of the work on the show is a relief for her after years of work as a doctor in the Army and in the Green Berets. She likes the show and her friendship with the four comedians makes her work easy, even when the paperwork isn't. The more time she spends with them, the harder it is for her to hide her feelings for a certain shaggy-haired, cat-loving Joker; the same could be said for Brian about his favorite war-torn, on-site doctor. But something from her past is reaching out, and no one is quite ready when it strikes. 
NaNoWriMo work.





	1. The Slip and Fall

**Author's Note:**

> As per usual, this work has no Beta. Any inconsistencies or errors are results of my own and I take full responsibility for them. Also, I own no one except for Cece and any other names you might not recognize. 
> 
> Chapter One of this work was written before NaNoWriMo began; subsequent chapters will be updated as NaNoWriMo 2016 progresses.

A shout startled Cecelia Mercury from her place on the bench. her head snapping up from where it was buried in her book. She leapt up and snagged the bright red emergency bag from beside her and raced towards the shout. There was a group surrounding someone lying on the ground at the edge of The Pond. Shooting in Central Park was never one of Cece's favorite locations, for there were too many people who would hold up shooting with wanting to talk with the stars. She shoved her way through the crowd, her strong frame squaring up and trying to push through the many bodies obstructing her path.

"Move! Move!" A Staten Island accent hollered and a path began to clear for her to race towards the body. She could see the tall form of Peter Fowkes straining his neck to find her.

"Cece! Here!" He waved as the circle opened up. He was on the opposite side of the circle, that much she could tell before a large hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her into the center of the circle. She collided with a large t-shirt clad chest, arms wrapping around her waist to keep her steady. She quickly spun out of the arms and knelt down to the lithe body at her feet.

"What happened?"

"He tripped over the fucking car, fell down the steps, and smacked his head on the steps," the man behind her knelt down next to her, zipping open her bag.

"How do you not see the car there, you moron?" another voice broke through, panic evident in the voice.

"I have to call Mark and Charlie," Peter said, pushing away from the center at Cece's nod.

"Gloves and my light," she ordered over her shoulder as she saw blood smearing the sidewalk. "Hey, hey!" she shouted, trying to get the attention of the man on the ground. "You with me?"

"You're really pretty." She chuckled as a third voice joined the fray above them.

"Only you would try to hit on a woman when you're bleeding out, you idiot."

"He probably has no idea what he's saying," she chuckled, snapping the gloves on. "Good chances he has a concussion. James, can you look at me?" James Murray blinked up at her from his position on the ground. "Follow my finger, okay?" She waved her finger back and forth in front of his face and his eyes jerkily followed. "Alright, Murr. I'm gonna look at your head, okay? Tell me if anything hurts." Lilly touched his shoulders and slid her hand under his neck. As soon as her fingers touched the base of his skull, Murray twitched in pain. "Okay, James. Easy." She pulled her hands back slowly, one followed by the other, and was stunned to see them coated in blood.

"Where's all that blood coming from?" the second voice shrieked.

"He probably cut his head. It's fine."

"Fine?! He's bleeding out and you're saying he's fine??"

"Hey," her eyes snapped up. "Breathe, Sal."

"You're telling me to breathe when Murray's dying?" Sal Vulcano flailed about, voice edging on a panic attack.

"Sal," her voice cut through him sharply. "Look at me. Kneel down here and look at me." Sal followed her orders, staring into a pair of swirling green eyes. "You gotta calm down, okay? I have to help Murray first. I can't have you going into a panic attack right now, okay? I know you're scared. But he's gonna be just fine as long as you let me do my job. Got it?" Sal nodded, his features pale and unable to look down at his friend. "If you want to help, I need you and Joe to clear these people back. I need room to help him."

"C'mon bud," Joe Gatto's hand clamped down on his friend's shoulder. "Let's clear these people." Sal stood up and he and Joe began pushing the crowd of people back. Her hand flew to her side and she pulled up a walkie-talkie and quickly spoke into it.

"I need a bus stat. South-East corner of the pond, on 59th across from the Plaza."

"He's gonna be okay, right Cece?" Cece looked over to Brian Quinn who was bent over her bag, holding out the light and the first aid kit to her.

"Yeah, Bri," she smiled softly to him. "He definitely needs stitches and with the way he flinched when I touched his neck, I think he might have a concussion and some whiplash."

"Jesus. C'mon Murr. Can't stay unhurt for one season, can you?"

"I like it when Cece rescues me," Murray said, his words slurring slightly. "She's the prettiest girl I know."

"Yeah, now I know you have a concussion," Cece chuckled. "Can you sit up for me?"

"Okyday," Murray said, holding out his hands.

"Alright fireman," Cece gestured to the outstretched hands. "Help him up."

"Why do you always make me do the heavy lifting?" Brian grumbled, latching on to his friend's wrists and slowly pulling him up into the sitting position.

"You have training in this shit and you're also super strong. One plus one equals two, Bri." Cece swiveled around so she was facing the back of Murray and winced when she saw the gash along his skull. "You hit the ground hard, huh Murr?"

"Yep. My head hurts."

"Toss me the kit," Cece motioned to Brian who was holding Murray in place by his shoulders. "James, do you know what day it is?"

"Tuesday?" Murray asked after a minute.

"And what's your full name?" she asked, ripping open a gauze package.

"James Murray."

"Do you remember what we had for breakfast?" Brian asked as he turned on the light in his hands. Murray went silent as Brian flashed the light in his eyes.

"Did we have breakfast this morning?" Murray asked, tilting his head.

"Don't move sweetie," Cece instructed, pressing the gauze to the back of his head. "We're gonna go to the hospital, okay?"

"What? Why?" Murray asked, moving to look at Cece.

"Don't move," she said, more firmly. "I think you have a concussion and we need to get you stitches."

"But I don't want those."

"Well it's a good thing you don't have a choice, isn't it?" Brian sighed as the sounds of sirens began to creep into their area.

"This is going to put a ban on the car gag, you know that right?" Cece locked eyes with Brian.

"Don't say that," he moaned as the ambulance screeched to a stop near by.

"You might get lucky," she teased. "You never know."

"Are you flirting with Quinn when I'm right here?" Murray slurred again, crinkling his eyes.

"Yes, Murr. Because Brian really wants to flirt with this hot mess," Cece said as she waved the EMTs over. Brian didn't even have a chance to react as the pair of EMTs crashed into their circle. Brian stepped back, allowing Cece and the EMTs to speak a language he definitely did not understand, and fell into place next to Joe and Sal.

"He's gonna be okay, yeah?" Sal wrung his hands nervously and looked over at Brian. Brian nodded, minutely, as his eyes were still trained on Cece and where her hands were pressed into Murray. The EMTs scampered off to the ambulance and she jerked her head to motion the other three Jokers over.

"We're taking him to St. Luke's," she said, calmly. "They need to evaluate him and get him stitches and go through concussion protocol."

"Are you going with him?" Sal asked.

"Absolutely."

"You're just going with him to see," Joe paused, pitching his voice high and squealing out, "Dr. Anthony." Cece rolled her eyes.

"I'm going with him because it's my job Gatto. We've only been dating a few months, so it doesn't matter that he just happens to work at St. Luke's."

"You're going there for Dr. Anthony."

"I'm gonna punch you," Cece glared at him as the EMTs rushed back with the stretcher.

"No you're not." Cece ignored him and helped the EMTs get a protesting Murray onto the stretched. It was like watching a mother with a child; Murray was protesting and Cece was chastising him as he was strapped in and carried towards the ambulance. She peeled the gloves off of her hands and shoved them into a plastic bag from the emergency kit before zipping it up and tossing it to Joe.

"I'm going to St. Luke's," Cece said, pulling her phone out and taping out a quick text. "You guys clean up here and then text me from the office. I'll let you know when you can come see him."

"Is he not coming home tonight?" Brian asked, shifting the bag up onto his shoulder.

"If he's going through concussion protocol, probably not," she sighed.

"Cece!" Peter waved at her, jogging over. He had his phone pressed to his chest. "Where is he going?"

"St. Luke's," she said, suddenly very formal. "I'm going with him. I'll keep you posted."

"Call Charlie and Mark when you have a minute," Peter said, pulling the phone back up to his ear and walking away to finish his conversation.

"He'll be fine, I promise," Cece said, gripping Sal's arm trying to calm him. "I've seen this more times than I care to count. I promise, he'll be back on his feet by tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" she smiled softly.

"Yeah, you have," he said, smirking.

"Only because I had to."

"Dr. Mercury!" one of the EMTs shouted. "C'mon!"

"Gotta run. I'll call you!" The three Jokers watched as she leapt into the back of the ambulance and slammed the doors behind her.

 

 

"What happened to you Mr. Murray?" A towering, muscled out man scanned over the chart in front of him.

"Apparently a radio controlled car," Murray winced as a nurse worked on stitching up his gash.

"Rumor has it that he tripped over it and fell down the steps," Cece sighed, holding Murray's hand as the stitches went in.

"Were you not there to see it?" the man asked, scribbling notes down.

"She was reading," Murray said, not missing a beat.

"Reading?" the man arched an eyebrow.

"Usually this doesn't happen," she chuckled. "Most of the time the job is boring. I just sit there and watch them be idiots. So I read a lot." The man nodded before setting the clipboard down.

"I'll take it from here Amy," he said to the nurse. She nodded and handed the needle and the string off to the doctor. The room was silent for a moment as the doctor focused on the stitches. "Reading on the job, eh?"

"It's not like I haven't done it before Anthony," Cece forced a smile up at the doctor.

"Still babe," the doctor chuckled. "You're supposed to be the show's doctor. You need to pay attention to this stuff."

"Anthony!" Cece's eyes widened. She looked up to Murray who's eyes also got wide.

"You're registered doctor, Cecelia," Anthony chastised, suddenly turning serious. "You are responsible for people. You took an oath. And maybe instead of using it for a TV show-"

"Can we not have this talk now, please?" she looked down at Murray's hand.

"You should be working in a hospital," Anthony looked down at her.

"You should be stitching James back together," Cece sighed.

"There's a position open, Cecelia," Anthony said again.

"We can talk about this later."

"I can get you an interview right now," Dr. Anthony continued, ignoring her. "It would take only a few minutes. With test scores like yours and your experience-"

"Anthony, we've talked about this. I like my job. I like working with the guys. I'm not quitting."

"Well I don't know if I can be with you if you're going to continue to galavant around with a bunch of middle-aged children." Murray tightened his grip on Cece's fingers as she sighed. "Your stitches are done, Mr. Murray. You are showing concussion symptoms, so I suggest that you stay here for the night so I can keep an eye on you."

"Oh, you'd be my doctor for the night?" Murray asked, pointing to Dr. Anthony.

"Of course. I was the first doctor to treat you-"

"Actually, Cece was." Murray stood up, wobbling for a moment before Cece rose to catch him. "I'll be leaving under her supervision." Dr. Anthony glared at Murray.

"Mr. Murray, I highly suggest that you remain here. Dr. Mercury doesn't have the equipment-"

"But do you have the experience?" Murray challenged. "I've heard some of her tales. I know what she's done with minimal equipment. I feel safer in her hands than yours."

"Fine," Dr. Anthony growled. "I'll have the nurse return with your paperwork." He turned to Cece. "Should we get dinner later this week?"

"I think not," she rolled her eyes. "I don't want you to be with someone who goes galavanting around with middle-aged children." Dr. Anthony blinked for a moment, before leaving the exam room without a word. Murray swayed after a second of standing. "Sit down," she ordered, pushing him back on the table. "I'll call someone to pick us up."

"I don't know who will still be around," Murray sighed, rubbing his temple.

"Don't worry about it. I'll handle it." She pulled out her phone as the nurse reappeared. She shot a text out to the other jokers, wincing at the time. 5:38pm flashed up at her as she hit send; four hours after the shoot meant that everyone was probably home in Staten Island. "It might be easier to take the train," she mumbled to herself, taping her phone in her hands.

"What?" Murray asked, signing forms and taking medicine from the nurse.

"Up for taking the train?"

"Ugh," Murray muttered. "I hate the train."

"I know you do. But I doubt we're going to catch them now. They're probably all home. And trying to catch a cab there is going to be outrageous." Her phone buzzed in her hand and she glanced at it. She breathed out a chuckle before smiling. "You're lucky your friends like you. They're outside with Brian's jeep."

"I love them."

"I know you do," she smiled, patting his shoulder as she signed the paper as well, confirming she would take responsibility for him. When the nurse left, Murray grasped her hand.

"Are you okay?" Cece nodded, and placed a gentle hand on his face.

"Let's get you home, okay?"

"The house is a wreck," Murray rubbed his face.

"Sweetie, it can't be worse than Brian's," she laughed, helping him stand up. "Besides, you know that the instant that Sal gets in there he's going to clean the holy hell out of the place."

"Thank God for Sal," Murray muttered, wrapping his arm around Cece. "And you. What would I do without you?"

"Get hurt a lot more," she smiled, pushing the curtain of the room open to. "Sal wouldn't function. Joe and Brian would be fine."

"You say that, but we can't have the show without you."

"Only because you have an on-site doctor written into your contract," she laughed. Murray chuckled slightly as she guided him out of the ER. Cece had been a part of the Impractical Jokers crew since the second season; the producers decided that the four comedians needed an extra set of eyes on them after Sal had taken a bad fall down some stairs. Cece had answered the call, freshly back in New York after her six years overseas. After flawlessly passing every requirement, she had fallen into step with the show's crew and had formed an unbelievable fast friendship with the four stars

"Also we like having you around," Murray grumbled as he winced at the sunlight.

"Well I like being around you guys. Why do you think I just got dumped?"

"Yeah, can we talk about that for a sec?" Murray straightened up.

"Nope," Cece said, straight faced before waving. "There's the guys. Let's get you home."

 

 

"I swear to God Murr, you can't keep a place clean to save your fucking life!" Sal hollered from the bathroom.

"Give him a break Sal," Brian shouted back as he slumped down onto the couch. "It's not like he's had a lot of time to clean lately."

"There's always time to clean," Sal said, coming back down the hallway to the living room. "It's thoughts like that that has led to the disgusting scenes in this-"

"We are not listening to another one of your rants about hygiene and proper cleanliness," Joe rolled his eyes from the kitchen, popping caps off of three beers.

"Proper hygiene-"

"Sal," Murray moaned from the chaise Cece was placing him in. "Concussion and stitches. Can we save the lecture about my dirty apartment for another day?"

"You're lucky that you're an idiot," Sal rolled his eyes, taking one of the beers from Joe's hands.

"Why are you guys drinking all of my beers?" Murray moaned as Cece tucked a pillow behind him to support his head.

"Because you can't have them," Brian nodded at him, draping himself along the sectional. "Might as well have someone drink them." Murray huffed and settled down in the chair.

"You're lucky it's a very minor concussion," Cece said, draping a blanket over him. "You don't have to be segregated into a dark room all by yourself."

"Yeah, I just have to sit here while you guys have all the fun."

"Shut up and rest your brain," Sal huffed, sliding onto the middle of the couch as Joe took his place at the end. Murray glared, but shut his eyes quickly.

Brian and Sal quickly decided that they could record an episode of their podcast while hanging out; Joe took it upon himself to join in and guest star while Cece thumbed through paperwork and made some calls. Joe, Brian, and Sal's voices echoed around Murray's living room as they chatted back and forth and giggled with each other. Cece smiled periodically as she typed along her forms, and chimed in once and a while. She kept an eye on Murray, who every so often smiled along with a joke that someone made or with something that someone said. As stomachs growled, Joe vanished to get food for the group and Cece rose to check on Murray.

"You alright, sweetie?"

"My head hurts," he murmured.

"Want some more meds?" she asked, tucking him in further with the blanket.

"Please." Cece smiled over at Sal and Brian who were watching them.

"I'll be right back." As she walked, she gestured to Sal to get a bottle of water from the fridge. She sat down next to Brian and dug through the bag on the floor next to him.

"You're really good with a cranky Murr," Brian nudged her. She smiled up at him.

"It's part of my job Bri."

"Putting up with our shit is not part of your job."

"I'm pretty sure that it's just something that you get inducted into when you sign on to the Impractical Jokers," she winked.

"That's fair," Brian laughed, leaning back and resting his head on his interlaced hands. "But still. You're here. You could easily have left him at the hospital instead of taking him back here."

"Well I wasn't going to stay with Dr. Asshat," Murray growled from under the blankets. Brian and Sal started, confused.

"What?" Sal asked as Cece snagged the water from Sal's outstretched hands.

"Don't talk about her boyfriend like that," Brian scolded.

"Not her boyfriend anymore," Murray said, reaching his hands out for the medicine and water.

"You broke up with the Doctor guy?" Sal pointed at Cece. "Why?"

"He was an ass," Murray nodded, chugging the water. "What am I taking here?"

"Vicodin," she looked down at him. "It'll ease the pain and make you sleep as well."

"Aren't I not supposed to sleep?"

"As long as I wake you up every two hours, you can rest."

"'Kay," Murray snuggled deeper into chaise. Cece took the glass from Murray and turned around to see Sal and Brian staring at her in worry.

"Can we not talk about this while he's trying to rest?"

"Kitchen," Sal snagged her hand and pulled her after him.

"Sal, I really don't-"

"But I do," Sal said without turning around. "You're my friend and I worry about you."

"There's nothing to worry about," she sighed, moving to put the glass in the sink.

"You broke up with your boyfriend, of course there's something to worry about," Brian said, leaning against the counter.

"Why did you break up?" Sal pushed.

"He wanted me to quit," she sighed.

"Wait, what?" Brian turned fully to her. "Like the show?"

"He said that I took an oath and should be using it to help people instead of 'galavanting around with middle-aged children'." Brian glared and Sal scoffed.

"Are you for real?" Brian asked, straightening up and his accent breaking out firmer.

"Yep," Cece scrubbed her face. "He wanted me to interview at St. Luke's."

"Jesus," Sal shook his head.

"You didn't, right?" Brian's face contorted into concern.

"Interview? No. Definitely not." Cece moved to the fridge and pulled out three more beers. "I like working with you guys. It's fun, never boring, and I don't have to face death every day. I've done my time in that situation. I prefer doing this."

"He broke up with you because you wanted to keep your job," Sal scoffed harder and took a swig of his beer.

"Food's here!" Joe swung the door open and clamored in with bags in his hands. He glanced around the room and saw the tense air in the kitchen. "What's going on?"

"Cece is single again," Sal said, after swallowing his beer.

"What? No more Dr. Anthony?"

"He wanted her to quit the show," Brian growled.

"What?" Joe set the bags down on the counter. "Why?"

"She took an oath," Brian waved his hands around mockingly.

"And apparently we're middle-aged children," Sal chimed in, pulling plates out of the cabinets.

"Well we all knew that already," Joe peeled his jacket off.

"He wanted me to interview for a spot at St. Luke's," Cece pulled the food out of the bags.

"What?" Joe's eyes bugged out.

"Yup. Said I have a responsibility to people and should be using my oath for helping people instead of hanging out with you guys."

"You've done your share of helping people, Cece," Joe shook his head, taking a plate from Sal. "You spent three years in the Army and then three years in the Berets. You've seen some shit. You've done shit. I'm glad you dumped him."

"He dumped me, actually," she sighed.

"What an asshole," Brian growled. His features softened and he set his plate down and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry. You deserve better."

"Thanks Bri," she sighed, putting her arms around him. Joe and Sal's eyes locked and they shared a knowing smirk as their friend stood there, face pressed into her hair.

"Cece," Murray moaned from his spot, breaking the moment between Brian and Cece.

"Yeah, James?" Cece asked, pulling away from Brian.

"Is that food?"

"You up for eating something?" Cece chuckled, making her way towards the bundled up Murray and out of ear shot.

"So she's single." Joe's attempt at being casual almost made Brian laugh; almost.

"First time she's been single for a few months," Sal chimed in from the other side of Brian, voice silent and subdued.

"7 and a half if my math is correct."

"I believe it is. Perfect time for someone to tell her."

"Don't do this," Brian muttered, dragging food out of the bag. "Please don't do this."

"We're just saying," Sal began.

"Well don't," Brian glared at his friends. "She just broke up with the dude. Let her breathe for a minute."

"Since when has that stopped you?"

"Since when have you been so nosy?"

"Since when have you not wanted to jump Cece's bones?"

"It ain't like that," Brian rolled his eyes and dumping some of the potato salad onto his plate.

"You mean it ain't all about that," Joe grinned before taking a bite of his sandwich. "We ain't dumb, ya know."

"You've been pining after her for over a three years now," Sal popped open a bag of chips.

"I don't pine," Brian shot back, pulling his sandwich out of the wrapper and dumbing it onto his plate.

"You totally pine," Joe agreed as Cece walked back towards them.

"Shut up," Brian glared at his friend.

"Anyone got bets on whether or not Murr's gonna upchuck his food?" she grinned, snagging a plate and a bag from opposite Brian.

"I'll take that bet," Sal nodded at her, diverting the conversation to her direction.

Dinner was a somewhat quiet affair, after Murray made it through three bites of food before running to puke. Brian watched as Cece set her plate down and followed him down the hall, coming back several minutes later with the report that she put him to bed for his own well-being. Even though the chaise was now open, she settled back down in her original spot next to Brian and crossed her legs to work on her computer while she ate. Her knee knocked into Brian's thigh and nestled next to the muscled leg, pressing against the fabric of his shorts. Brian surpassed the sigh in his chest and continued to banter back and forth with his buddies.

From his vantage point, he could study the way she worked, although he already knew the way she chewed her bottom lip when she was filling out paperwork and how she tapped her pen behind her ear when she was reading different paragraphs for work. She snapped her computer shut about halfway through their meal and tucked the pen behind her ear with a sigh. She curled in a little bit, pulling the plate into her lap and burying her feet underneath Brian's leg as he laughed along with a joke that Joe had told for the podcast. He blinked over at her when he felt her toes wiggle underneath him; she winked at him as he rubbed his hand over her knee and down her shin in a soothing motion.

"Guys wanna watch a movie?" Sal said, picking up the plates when they ended the podcast.

"I gotta get home to the family," Joe stretched and cracked his neck. "You know how it goes."

"Actually we don't," Brian grinned up at him.

"True that," Joe clapped his hand onto his friend shoulder. "You keep an eye on our Ferret, Cece. Let me know if he needs anything."

"You got it," Cece nodded at him as she carried the empty beer bottles to toss them in the trash.

"And hey, Kid," Joe placed a hand on her arm. "That doctor was an ass. You deserve better."

"Thanks Joe," she smiled, allowing him to pull her into a hug.

"You text me if you need anything, okay? Eat ice cream, watch crappy movies...you know. The usual break-up shit."

"I got my boys," Cece waved her hand back and forth between Sal and Brian. "It'll all be okay."

"I know. See ya guys later." Cece slid the lock into place as the door shut behind Joe. She paused a moment, breathing out a sigh before turning back into the kitchen.

"So. What do you wanna watch?"

"Well do you want to watch a sappy break-up movie or something actually good?" Sal slid more beer onto the counter as well as the ice cream from Murray's freezer and three spoons and one bowl.

"Something good," Cece laughed. "Seriously. I'm not all the broken up about it. It wasn't like...passionate or anything and I had no plans of marrying the asshole."

"Well good," Sal nodded at her, scooping a helping into the one bowl on the counter. "He wasn't really your type, I thought."

"Yeah, of course now you're gonna come out and tell me everything you hated about him," she rolled her eyes over at Brian. He grinned at her as he searched through Murray's movies.

"I mean, do you want it alphabetically or by most hated trait?" Brian chuckled.

"Shut up," she shook her head. "Grab Avengers. Let's marathon it."

"Seriously? Again?" Sal moaned.

"You love them, stop complaining."

"We watch them all the time," he whined, tossing the ice cream scoop into the sink.

"Because they're amazing," Brian said, sliding the disk into the PS4.

"I get that, but-"

"My break-up, my movie choice," Cece jabbed her finger into Sal's chest playfully.

"Fiiiiiiiine," he sighed, taking the bowl of ice cream, stabbing a spoon in it, then snagging the three beers on the counter. "You get your own beers, though." She laughed and stuck her head back into the fridge and pulled out six beers, three in each hand and then looked down at the ice cream carton.

"Hey Bri?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I got ya," he chuckled, leaning over the kitchen island and snagging the ice cream. She followed him to the couch and gasped when he flopped down in her former spot on the long attached chaise.

"That's my spot!"

"My leg hurts," Brian said, rubbing his left knee while pouting. She rolled her eyes and sat down next to him, setting the beers down on the table.

"You're lucky that I have sympathy for you," she shook her head and leant back against the comfy couch as Sal slung his legs onto the long couch and rested them against Cece's leg. She popped open two beers and handed one to Brian as he handed her a spoon in return. The movie began to play and they sipped their beers and ate their ice cream, the pair out of the carton with grins on their face as Sal rolled his eyes every now and again at their cackling. Two beers into the movie, Brian put the empty carton of ice cream on the end table to his left and slung his arm on the back of the couch, across Cece's shoulders. She smiled at him before cracking open the last of their beers and settling in closer to him, leaning in to him so that her shoulder was tucked into his armpit and the rest of her body was pressed against his. Sal winked at Brian over Cece's head, unseen by the woman; Brian responded by flipping him off.

As the movie played on, Cece could feel her eyes drooping as the five beers she had spread a warmth throughout her body and a hum throughout her body. She shuffled around, grabbing a pillow from the back of the couch and plopping it into Brian's lap before putting her head onto the pillow with a sigh. Sal moved around to allow her feet to slide onto his lap and he patted her leg gently. Brian smoothed her hair out of her face with his left hand and then used the arm that was on the back of the couch to begin drawing random patterns across her shoulder and bicep. He could feel Sal's eyes on him, but he ignored it to settle down further into the couch and watch the movie, trying to ignore the feeling of want that was tugging on his heart.


	2. The Texts and the Fantasy

It took Murray a full week to recover from his fall and his concussion. Cece stayed in the apartment with him for most of the time, working on paperwork and things for the show. Every now and again, someone would pop by to check in on Murray and see how he was feeling, Joe with Bessy and Milania, Peter, Charlie and Mark all the way from LA, people from Murray’s office, and Sal and Brian. The conversation would eventually stray over to Cece and they would ask, with concern, how she was handling the break-up. Sal confessed that he had mentioned it to Peter at the morning meeting and the news had spread around the office like wildfire.

Which was why, when she and Murray returned to the office the following Wednesday, she could feel everyone’s eyes following her and the whispers trailing after her like steam off of a rocket. Murray could sense it too, glaring over his shoulder every now and again as they weaved their way through the cubicles. He patted her shoulder as she slumped down into her chair in the Impractical Jokers section of the office, walking by her to the editing room where Joe was already deep in conversation with Peter and Sal. She slid her computer onto its docking station, ready to print out her reports and have them on the proper desks before shooting began . As she began to write on the folders in front of her, a cup of coffee slid onto the desk.

“Large dark roast, two sugars, and a dash of cream. You’re welcome.”

“Thanks Jer,” Cece sighed, leaning back and inhaling the smell of incoming caffeine. “You’re the best.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Jeremy Graph was one of the production managers for the show and had been one of the first people to introduce himself to Cece when she came on board. He was the youngest crew member then, just a production assistant that was fresh out of college and eager to make a name for himself. Although he was no longer the youngest, he still had that youthful glow that Cece envied even though she only was five years his senior. “So Dr. Brains. Care to tell me about your week?”

“James is much better,” Cece nodded, sipping her coffee and opening her documents. “Concussion symptoms are gone, stitches should- “

“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” he gave her a pointed look as he arched his eyebrow, pointedly.

“We’re not having that conversation,” she shook her head, turning back to her desk.

“Listen,” Jeremy grabbed the back of her chair and spun it to face him. “I worry.”

“You shouldn’t worry about me.”

“Please,” he narrowed his eyes. “You can skip three grades, graduate from West Point early, save lives under enemy fire, and kick every man’s ass that you meet. But you are absolute shit at talking about your feelings.”

“You seriously need to get a new saying. That whole sentence is just a mouthful,” she waved her hand at him, trying to turn back around. Jeremy’s grip tightened on her chair and she looked up at him. “Listen. This isn’t a conversation that we should have here. It should be over a beer.”

“Or twelve.”

“Can we talk about it over lunch?”

“We’ll leave for White Horse at 10:30,” Jeremy nodded, satisfied. “I have to see if they’re willing to let us shoot there one night, anyway.”

“It’s already 8:30,” she hollered after him as he made his way to the editing room.

“Well then you better get me that report,” he winked, disappearing around the bend. Cece rolled her eyes and hit print on the document that held her report. She could hear the printer kick into gear at the end of the hall and went back to writing on the folders, her scratchy handwriting pressing into the paper.

At 10:15 sharp, she rapped on the glass door of the editing room where Sal, Peter, and Jeremy were in deep discussion. Charlie waved her in when the three didn’t stop their discussion and she pushed the door open and slipped in.

“All I’m saying is that if we cut it, the bit makes no sense,” Sal waved his hand around from his chair.

“And I understand what you’re saying,” Peter jabbed his fingers onto the desk. “But I’m saying is that if you keep that bit, something else has to go. And we promised the shop that we’d have them in the episode so we can’t cut that.”

“Why does it have to be this episode? Why can’t we just- “

“Sal,” Jeremy leaned forward. “We’ve been over this.”

“One of those days, huh?” Cece whispered to Charlie as she knelt down next to him, Jeremy’s explanation playing out next to them.

“You have no idea,” Charlie chuckled. “I’m glad Mark went back to LA today or we’d have a nightmare of a time.” He tore his eyes away from the scene in front of him and looked down at the folders in Cece’s hands. “This your report on the accident?”

“Yup,” she handed him the top two folders. “One for you and one for Mark. Standard report. Nothing huge to handle. The insurance guys already have their copies and should have a number for you by the end of the day.”

“Excellent. Good work.” Charlie glanced back to the couch against the wall where the three other Jokers were watching the scene in front of them. “How’s he doin’? He seems okay.”

“Much better than last week for sure,” Cece glanced over at Murray who was resting his head in his hand on the edge of the couch. “Stitches should come out later this week. I can do that from here though, so we won’t need to go back into the hospital.”

“How are you doing with that?” Charlie asked, running his hands through his gray hair. “I know I keep asking, but- “

“I’m fine,” Cece interrupted quickly. “I promise. I’ve had worse.” Charlie pursed his lips for a moment before nodding.

“Alright. I trust you.”

“Charlie,” Sal shot, capturing the executive’s attention. “Will you please tell these two idiots that I’m right?”

“Will you please tell Sal that for money and contractual obligation reasons, we have to cut something and it can’t be the shop bit?” Peter rubbed his forehead.

“Listen,” Charlie began causing Cece to stand up. “I understand what you’re both saying.” Cece slid a folder over to Peter, who nodded up at her, barely taking his eyes off of Charlie, and then one to Jeremy, who winked and then rolled his eyes at her. She smirked at him and made her way over to the couch as Charlie continued his lecture towards the trio. She perched herself onto the arm of the couch, jostling it enough to stir Murray from his thoughts.

“Hey there,” he smiled up at her. “How’s your morning going? The vultures swoop down to grill you about being single yet?”

“Not yet,” Cece sighed. “I’m trying to give off the ‘I’m too busy to talk about this shit’ vibe. I think it’s working.”

“What are you working on?”

“Paperwork as always,” she said as she leaned back into the wall. “Had to get the report on the accident in everyone’s hands today. Wanted to check on you too before I head off to lunch. How’s the head?”

“It hurts. But I’m pretty sure that it has more to do with this debate instead of concussion.”

“Want me to check you out?” Cece asked, leaning forward in concern. “I’d rather play it safe than sorry.”

“I always want you to check me out,” Murray winked up at her. She laughed as Joe groaned from Murray’s other side.

“That line was awful dude,” Joe shook his head. “She’s not your type anyway.”

“What, a beautiful, smart, talented woman isn’t my type?” Murray glared over to Joe as Brian stuck his head forward to meet Cece’s eyes.

“What are you two yammering on about?” Brian crinkled his eyes.

“Murr is flirting with Cece,” Joe jabbed his thumb in her direction.

“I’m sorry, what now?” Brian leaned forward with interest.

“I wasn’t flirting,” Murray threw up his hands. “It was a joke!”

“For a comedian, you’re not very funny,” Cece teased, causing the pair on the other side of Murray to roar with laughter.

“Rude,” he said, a small smile playing over his face.

“Let me see your stitches tough guy,” she spun him by his shoulders to inspect the black thread holding his skin together. “Some of the guys over in insurance asked for a timeline, so I need to get it to them soon. You’re looking good. Here within the next week we should be able to cut these out.”

“Gross,” Brian shook his head.

“I can arrange that you pull them out for your next punishment,” she winked at him.

“You’re an evil genius you know that?” Brian said, scribbling something down in his notebook.

“Why is that?” she asked, craning her neck to look at the notes he was scratching out.

“Sal’s up next for punishment,” Joe grinned.

“Oh, c’mon. That’s just cruel,” she laughed.

“Dr. Brains, you ready?” The quartet looked up to see Jeremy tugging his jacket on, Peter patting a pouting Sal on the back.

“Yeah,” she rose from the couch. “Let me just grab my jacket and we can jet.”

“Where are you all off to?” Peter swiveled around with his hands pressed together.

“White Horse for lunch,” Jeremy grinned. “Hopefully we’ll get to set later with a signed contract as well.”

“You know what I say about mixing business and pleasure,” Charlie smirked.

“Try to get a wife out of it?” Jeremy grinned.

“No,” Charlie rolled his eyes at the insinuation about his marriage.

“Split off and start your company with them?”

“No.”

“Always do it?” Cece said, getting a round of laughter out of the group. Charlie waved them away, shaking his head.

“Get out of here you two.”

“Be on set at noon,” Peter reminded them as Jeremy grabbed her hand.

“You got it,” Jeremy tossed over his shoulder. Cece glanced down at Brian as they left the room, smiling widely at him as they locked eyes. Her smile made Brian’s body tingle and he couldn’t help but smile back in return. He watched until they began to round the corner, Jeremy pulling her close and beginning to whisper to her. The smile stayed on his face as he turned back to editing board in front of them, the warmth staying in his chest as they continued their morning work.

 

 

“I’m sorry, but I never liked him,” Jeremy said, shaking his head as he and Cece climbed their way out of the Bowling Green Subway station.

“Of course you’re saying that now,” Cece rolled her eyes, tightening her jacket against the chilly late-September air that blew against them. “You’re my friend so now you’re going to say anything you can to make me feel better.”

“I’m not saying it to make you feel better. I’m saying it cause I didn’t like him all that much. He’s honestly one of my least favorite people that you’ve ever dated.”

“I’ve only dated like four people since we’ve known each other.”

“Well still,” Jeremy shrugged as they crossed Whitehall Street. “I don’t like the fact that he consults with his mother about everything. It’s just weird.”

“And why didn’t you say any of this when I was actually dating him?” she laughed.

“Because as your friend, it’s my responsibility to make sure you’re happy,” Jeremy threaded her arm through his own as they walked. “And you were happy, so I said nothing.”

“That’s a shit excuse.”

“Not an excuse! It’s the truth!”

“So tell me about this contract that you’re trying to get,” Cece said, evasively.

“Don’t try to change the topic on me,” Jeremy pointed at her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re horrid, you know that?”

“You love me,” she grinned up at him.

“I love you if you buy me coffee for the shoot today,” he wagged his eyebrows at her as they passed the green and white awnings that signaled their favorite coffee stops. “It’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season.”

“So you’ve said,” she shook her head.

Cece allowed Jeremy to dominate the conversation for the two blocks they had to cross to reach the White Horse Tavern, listening to him chat about why Pumpkin Spice season was the best coffee flavor and how Halloween was the best time of year. Jeremy’s ability to dominate a conversation and to keep talking when he knew she didn’t want to talk was one of the reasons as to why they were such good friends. His outgoing, charismatic personality complimented her reserved, withdrawn one; he was always young and vibrant, a fresh face that hadn’t seen the horrors of the world that she had seen.

Cece had mentioned once to Brian that it was for that reason alone as to why she was drawn to Jeremy and why he was the first friend she had on set. It was nice to be around someone who hadn’t seen what she had seen, to talk to someone who didn’t treated her like she was breakable, to have someone on her side that would just chat about nonsense without him realizing that he was doing more to calm her nerves than the meds ever did. Brian had taken a special shine to Jeremy after that, making sure to invite him to places with them when they were going out somewhere that would make Cece uncomfortable, whether it was somewhere they were going to shoot or just out to a bar that just rubbed her the wrong way.

Jeremy swung open the door to the bar, bounding in with a grin as the bartender waved enthusiastically. He turned back to Cece with a sudden look a seriousness.

“I gotta go chat with the head honchos. You okay by yourself?” Cece smiled softly.

“Yeah. I’ll sit over there,” she nodded to the table in the corner that gave a full view of the place. “Stop worrying about me and go do your thing.”

“I’ll have them send a beer and some chips out to you,” Jeremy squeezed her hand gently before sauntering over to the bar. She smiled and crossed the bar, her military mind taking in every customer, every exit, every possible scenario before she even made it to the table. She shook the thoughts out of her brain, sliding into the seat against the back corner of the tavern. She took a deep breath, willing her pulse to slow and for her instincts to relax against the quietness of the bar. Her phone vibrated in her purse and she dumped it out, unceremoniously onto the table. A grin slid onto her face as she slid open her messages.

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**St. Mark’s has our comics waiting. I’m gonna have Sal swing me by there on our way Battery Park so you can have something to do while we film today. ;)** _

Cece grinned and let her fingers slide over the screen, typing out her response. She let the quiet of the bar filter out as she texted back and forth with Brian over the next few minutes. She could almost hear and see his responses in her head, as if he was sitting right across the table from her.

_To: Comic Quinn_

_From: Dr. Awesome_

_**10 bucks says Sal won’t do it.** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**I told him I’d get him the new Doctor Strange series as payment.** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**He also demanded that your payment to him would be to have him be your date to the TESD party. Which is stupid. Don’t do it.** _

_To: Comic Quinn_

_From: Dr. Awesome_

_**Could you actually add that to my list? You’re the best. : ) And how does he know I don’t already have a date to the party?** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

__From: Comic Quinn_ _

_**You already have a date? Who is it?** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**You just broke up with Dr. Asshat. How can you already have a date to my party?** _

_To: Comic Quinn_

_From: Dr. Awesome_

_**Your party? I’ll be sure to let Walt, Bry, and Ming know that you’re claiming responsibility for the party that is celebrating the holiday you hate.** _

Cece nodded her thanks to the bartender who set down a tall beer and a basket of fried pickles in front of her. She rolled her eyes over at Jeremy who was facing her now as he chatted with the owner; he winked in response. Cece’s phone buzzed in rapid succession, lighting up and skittering across the table as she took a sip of the Oktoberfest

_To: My Hero_

_From: The Ferret_

_**Brian just said you have a date?? It isn’t Dr. Asshole is it? You told me you hadn’t talked to him since the hospital.** _

_To: The Kid_

_From: The Old Man_

_**Uhh…care to tell me why Bri just said you have a date? To the Halloween party? That’s a month away?** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**Do you seriously already have a date?** _

_To: Dr. Freddy Mercury_

_From: Ja’Crispy_

_**Q says you have a date to the TESD party??? WTF!! Who? When did this happen? Dets girl! (Also totally leaving your comics at St. Marks now.)** _

_To: Comic Quinn_

_From: Dr. Awesome_

_**Did you seriously just tell the guys that I said I had a date?? Brian! They all just texted me about it! WTF did you do that for??** _

Cece’s phone fell silent for a few minutes after her last text out to Brian and she sighed, sliding her phone against the wall. She shook her head, leaning against the wall herself to watch the TVs playing above the bar. A few minutes stretched into 15 as she watched Post Season coverage play from the TV that was on ESPN. She drained her beer and picked up her phone again, rapidly sliding her fingers across the keypad.

_To: Comic Quinn_

_From: Dr. Awesome_

_**There’s no date. I was trying to be funny. Obviously it fell flat. I don’t move on that fast, you know. I also never bring dates to your parties.** _

_To: The Ferret_

_From: My Hero_

_**It was a joke Murr; calm your tits. Lol** _

_To: The Old Man_

_From: The Kid_

_**No date. Just a joke. Obviously not a good one lol** _

_To: Ja’Crispy_

_From: Dr. Freddy Mercury_

_**No dets to tell. No date. Was trying to be funny. I should really just stick to being the Medicine Woman. I never bring dates to TESD events; we’re there for Brian not to get it on. (Also, please don’t leave my comics. I finished my book last week and am in dire need of new shit)** _

“Tell me I’m the best at my job,” Jeremy grinned as he slid into the seat across from her. He smacked the papers in his hands on the table, sliding them over to Cece who was busying shoving her phone back into her purse.

“You’re the best at your job,” she said before she even thumbed through the papers.

“Damn straight I am,” Jeremy nodded, kicking his feet up on the seat next to him. “I ordered you another to celebrate.”

“You do remember that we have a shoot at noon?”

“You do remember that they aren’t even doing anything dangerous, right?” Jeremy shot back.

“You never know who might decide that today is the day to punch them,” she laughed, sliding the papers back over with a smile, making a point to ignore the buzzing that she felt coming from her purse.

When they finished lunch and Jeremy had said his goodbyes, they retraced their steps back to the green and white awning. As Cece ordered and paid for their drinks, Jeremy’s attention was trained on his phone. He kept glancing up at her every few seconds, enough that she finally turned to him when she had their drinks in hand.

“Stop that.”

“What happened while I was talking to Fred?” Jeremy narrowed his eyes, wrapping his hands around the white paper cup.

“Nothing happened,” Cece shrugged, heading out the door.

“When I get a text from Sal saying, ‘Tell Cece to text me back’, I have a hard time believing that nothing happened.”

“I made a joke to Brian about having a date to the TESD party. It didn’t land well. I obviously need to stick to medicine.”

“You obviously need to not make jokes like that over text,” Jeremy rolled his eyes, linking their arms again. “Humor never translates well over the internet.”

“I told them it was a joke after they all freaked out.”

“Why did they freak out?”

“Because I just broke up with Anthony.”

“It is none of their business how long you wait before hoping back into the dating pool. Just saying.”

“You’re coming the party this year, yeah?” Cece looked up at him; he gave her a looking, acknowledging that she was very obviously changing the topic. “I need costume advice.”

“The sexier the better,” Jeremy said without breaking stride. “That’s my motto.”

“Not my question,” she laughed brightly. “My question is that I’m torn between going as Peggy Carter, Sister Sercy from the Blue Lantern Corps, or- “

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” Jeremy shook his head as Battery Park came into view. “None of these sound like sexy options.”

“I don’t do sexy Jer,” Cece shook her head.

“Sure you do! You’re hot!”

“Thanks, I think?”

“You could pull of literally any sexy costume you want. Why don’t you go as something out of your wheelhouse instead of going as another stupid comic book character?”

“Okay, first of all,” Cece said, pausing for a brief moment to glance both ways before crossing the street towards the pointed monument that signaled the entrance to the park. “Neither of those options are stupid. Both are strong, empowering women in their respected universes and- “

“And you’re boring me,” Jeremy narrowed his eyes at her.

“You didn’t even hear my third option.”

“Fine. I’ll humor you. What’s your third option?”

“Selina Kyle.”

“Who the fuck is Selina Kyle?”

“She’s Catwoman!”

“So you’re going as Catwoman? That’s sexy,” Jeremy conceded as they ducked around people and headed for the blacked, gated area near the middle of the park.

“No, I’m going as Selina Kyle. Were you even listening to me?”

“Honestly, when you start talking about Comics, it’s like you’re speaking Greek to me.”

“You are Greek.”

“Doesn’t mean I know how to speak it,” Jeremy smirked down at her. Cece laughed again, causing a few heads near the gated area to turn towards them. They waved in their direction and the pair returned the waves. “Listen. For the past five years, whenever we go to this TESD Halloween party, you go as some stupid comic book character.”

“Because they work in a comic book store!”

“My point is that you’re single. You should let your hair down! Get sexy this Halloween!”

“I wouldn’t even know how to do that even if I wanted to,” she shook her head, dark hair whipping in the wind. “Which I don’t.”

“It’s easy. Go as like a sexy cat or a sexy policewoman.”

“Sexy cat?” Cece crinkled her eyebrows in disgust. “Seriously?”

“Hey, you’re the one who said you wanted to be Catwoman,” Jeremy shrugged, swinging his legs over the low chain that was supposed to deter people from getting on the vast expanse of lawn in front of them.

“Selina Kyle,” Cece shoved him gently. “There’s a difference.”

“How am I supposed to know these things?” Jeremy cried, throwing his arms out as they ducked under the tarp being held up for them. “Catwoman, Selina Cat, whatever! Same thing!”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Cece looked back at him, unwilling to face the four comedians who she had instantly spotted right near to the entrance.

“And you need to be sexy,” Jeremy said, scanning the area before locking eyes with the incoming Jokers.

“I don’t do sexy Jer,” Cece shook her head, unaware of the incoming quartet. “In fact, I’d like to raise the point that I’m not even sexy to begin with.”

“Well I’d object to that very strongly,” Sal’s deep timber caused Cece to whip around. Sal had his arms crossed staring down at Cece, frown wrinkled across his face.

“How can you not think you’re not sexy?” Murray asked from the edge of the quartet, flipping through pages of the script. “I mean, it’s you we’re talking about here.”

“What brought this on?” Joe asked as he crunched down on some pretzel bites.

“Tell Cece that she needs to be something sexy for Halloween,” Jeremy pointed at Sal and Brian.

“Tell Jeremy that Peggy Carter, Sister Sercy, and Selina Kyle are perfectly acceptable options for a costume,” Cece glared up at Jeremy, slapping his hand down.

“All sexy options if you ask me.” Cece’s eyes whipped back to lock with Brian, who was looking at her with an apologetic smile.

“Thank you,” Cece gestured at Brian, a small smile lighting up her face before she turned back to Jeremy. “I told you.”

“I have a better idea,” Jeremy said, tapping his long fingers against his chin.

“I highly doubt it, but continue.”

“You should go as a sexy firefighter,” Jeremy locked eyes with Brian as he spoke. Brian was halfway into a sip of coffee when he inhaled sharply at Jeremy’s suggestion. The coffee seared the back of his throat and part of his lungs and he began coughing, unable to breathe momentarily. Cece turned back to Brian sharply, medical senses on high alert as he clutched his chest. “See?” Jeremy goaded with a smirk that was unseen by Cece. “Our resident firefight likes the idea.”

“He thinks it’s ridiculous,” Cece shot over her shoulder, gripping Brian by the arms as he coughed. “Are you okay?” Brian gave her a thumbs up but continued to cough. Sal, smirking behind the hand that wasn’t gripping Brian’s shoulder, looked over at Jeremy.

“Sexy firefighter? Really?”

“She could even borrow Q’s helmet,” Jeremy winked, a shit eating grin spread across his face. Q’s coughing got worse at that and Cece took the coffee from him.

“Put your arms up,” she said, using her free hand to guide his hands towards his head. “I’m gonna find you some water.” The moment that Cece had gone towards her bag, Brian turned to Jeremy.

“Sexy firefighter? Really?”

“Borrowing Q’s helmet was a nice touch,” Joe chuckled, smirk plastered all over his face.

“Shut up,” Brian growled between coughs, hands still on his head.

“Please, like you’ll ever be able to get the image of her in your uniform out of your head now,” Sal slapped his friend on the back, earning himself a glare.

“Now that is a strip tease I’d like to see,” Jeremy wagged his eyebrows at Brian as he took a sip of his coffee.

Brian’s jaw tightened, eyes attempting to drill holes into Jeremy’s skull. Jeremy wasn’t stupid; he could tell that Brian held a massive crush for his friend. He had known before even Brian had known, whispering over to Sal one day while they were all at the bar and watching their friends play pool. Jeremy toed the line even more than Sal and Joe did, usually going straight for the jugular when it came to teasing Brian mercilessly about Cece. Even though Jeremy enjoyed teasing Brian, he had confessed to Sal that he was trying to push Brian into Cece so that he could tell her how he felt. He had also wasted no time in fully confronting Brian one night, after one too many drinks on his part, leaving Brian to confess his attraction to her along with his fear of starting anything up with someone who worked for them.

“Imagine it. Her in nothing but your helmet.” Brian snapped, lunging for Jeremy.

“Easy killer,” Sal laughed, pulling his best friend back with the help of Joe while Murray cackled next to him.

“What’s going on?” Cece asked, voice laced with concern.

"Jeremy just said that that blonde chick was the best Catwoman," Sal said smoothly ironing over the tension between them.

“Nicole Kidman?” Cece’s eyebrows flew upwards. “Let him kill him Sal. He’s out of his mind.” Cece brushed in between Jeremy, who was still smirking at Brian with a knowing look in his eyes, and Brian, who was tense and ready to swing at Jeremy again. “Hey,” Cece said, placing a hand on the side of his face. Brian instantly melted into the hand, looking down at the woman in front of him. “Are you okay? I can’t ship you off to Cap injured. He’d kill me.”

“He wouldn’t kill you,” Brian mumbled, taking the water from her. He rubbed his throat and waved off Cece’s worried hand. “I’m fine. Just went down the wrong pipe.”

“Alright,” she sighed, pressing a hand to his cheek. “Don’t die on me, alright?”

“Yeah,” he smiled down at her, pressing his own hand to hers. Brian squeezed gently as she let go and turned back to the director’s tent and Brian whipped his head back to Jeremy. “You’re playing a dangerous game Graph.”

“I think you’re playing a dangerous game by not telling her Quinn,” Jeremy retorted. Brian’s nostrils flared as he stalked away, eager to get this day of filming over.

Brian unlocked the door to his Staten Island home later that night, tossing his keys onto the table next to the door as his cats weaved their way around his legs.

“Hi there babies,” Brian cooed, kneeling down to scratch Benjamin Cat behind the ears. He slid his bag onto the ground as he flopped onto the couch, coasting through his Social Media fields. Texts binged in his inbox from Walt, Bry, Ming, Sal, Jeremy, Mark, but he chose to ignore them to trudge upstairs to his bedroom as exhaustion began to set in. 

It wasn’t until he was lying in bed that Brian allowed himself to think about what Jeremy said: _Cece as a sexy firefighter. Cece wearing his uniform. Cece stripping off his uniform for him. Cece in nothing but his hat._ Brian slumped into bed, pressing the water bottle to his eyes, trying to suppress the images that were flashing through his brain. His brain winked back an image of Cece showing up to the party: _Brian's firefighter pants slung low on her hips while the suspenders that clipped snugly to his body hugged the curves of her chest and drifted down, skimming her body; a white shirt molded to her toned form, sleeves clinging to her muscled arms, hem creeping up towards her waist allowing for several of her tattoos to peak out from her hips and arms as well as some showing through the thinnest of her T-shirt._

He shook his head, trying to clear the image from his head which just caused another vivid fantasy to appear in his head:

_He was shoved back onto his bed, bouncing slightly at the force behind it. He looked up and Cece's form was crawling up towards him, hands and knees bracketing his legs as she crawled up him. His heart thumped in his chest as her hips slotted up against his, her fingers dancing over his chest. His helmet tipped low on her head, shielding her eyes as she rolled her hips just so to cause a groan to rumble in Brian's chest. She slid her thumbs in between her tight white shirt and the suspenders, the backs of her knuckles skimming over the hard peaks that poked through her shirt. She sucked a breath in through her teeth, rolling her hips again as Brian's hands gripped her hips. 'Cece,' Brian groaned as she peeled the suspenders down over her shoulders. A grin formed on her lips before her tongue peaked out and licked her bottom lip seductively._

Brian groaned, tossing the water bottle aside and sliding his hands down to his hips.

_He surged up, gripping the back of her neck and sealing his mouth to hers. He felt her hands vanish into his hair as the suspenders tumbled onto the bed on either side of her thighs as she kissed him back. His own hands crawled up and tucked up into her hair; the feeling of her hair in his helmet made him swoon and kiss her harder, nipping at her lip with his teeth. He could smell the scent of the firehouse caressing her skin as he kissed his way down her neck and he swore that he'd never be able to wear the uniform without thinking of her here, in his bed, in his clothes. The thought alone of smelling her on his clothes at work made him rip the helmet off of her and toss it across the room. His teeth clamped down on her neck, eliciting a moan to tumble out of her lips. He made sure to clamp down hard enough to suck a bruise into her skin, marking her as his, making sure to-_

Brian felt his phone vibrate in his pants pocket, intensifying the humming sensation he was feeling throughout his body. "God dammit," Brian hissed, cupping himself through the jeans he wore to filming. He slid his phone from his pocket and the yellow man of Snapchat dancing on his screen with _Dr. Awesome_ scrawled out next to him. He exhaled sharply through his teeth, the fantasy of Cece in his lap stuck in his eyes as he clicked on the Snap.

He let out a breathy groan, half in frustration and half in lust; she was blowing a kiss to him with a fireman’s helmet filter perched on her head, text on the bottom saying __Looks like Snapchat agrees with Jer on potential costume choice._ _ He responded by bringing a hand to his face, typing out a response saying __Oh God…Remind me why I like this holiday..._ _ It took approximately two minutes for his phone to light up. But instead of Snapchat, Cece’s face lit up the screen in a FaceTime invitation.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of a late night phone call?” Brian smirked, ruffling his hair as Cece appeared live on his screen.

“Cause I wanted to chat about your favorite holiday!” Her voice was chipper, causing a smile to instantly smile at her.

“I was planning on going to bed,” he chuckled. “But I’m always down to talk to you.”

“I’m in bed too,” she said, holding the phone farther away. Cece was in bed, a dark blue fuzzy blanket wrapped around her waist, tattoos more apparent in her tank top that exposed her wide, rough shoulders along with a multitude of scars from her days in Iraq. He could see the stack of comics that he had picked up for her rest on the edge of her bedside table, one already bookmarked.

“Well you’re farther along than I am.”

"So you're super against the me going as a firefighter idea, huh?"

"I never said that," Brian barked out a laugh, scrubbing the back of his neck. "It's up to you what you want to go as."

"I want to know what you're going as," she teased.

"And why would I tell you, Dr. Cece?"

"Uhh, cause I'm awesome."

"That's true. But I'm not telling you."

"C'mon!!" she whined. "I tell you what I'm going as."

"You're going as a sexy firefighter, I already know this," he laughed.

"I didn't say I was going to do that," she pointed at him. He could feel her laughter vibrate through him as it echoed around the room. "You obviously don't like the idea."

"I'm not against it per say," he shrugged. "It's just...wearing a heavy costume isn't exactly what people usually do on Halloween."

"You do realize that I carried heavy shit every day in the desert for almost six years, right?"

"I know, I know," he shook his head. "If you want to do that, I'll give you my gear."

"It could be funny for us to go as each other," Cece suggested. "You wear my Beret gear, I wear your firefighter gear."

"I highly doubt I could fit into your Beret gear."

"We could totally make it work," she laughed again. "Imagine what everyone would think. They'd die."

"Oh they'd think something alright," Brian said, Jeremy and Sal's face floating in his head. There was a long pause where Cece didn't say anything before she spoke again.

“Why are you sitting in the dark?”

“Cause I was going to bed!”

“You’re still in the clothes that you wore to shoot. You’re definitely not ready for bed,” she scolded.

“What, you know what I wear now?”

“I always know what you’re wearing,” she winked at him. “Put me on the dresser and then get changed and ready for bed and we’ll chat while that way.”<

"Gosh, you’re so needy,” Brian sighed, tossing himself up off of the bed. “Remind me why we’re friends again?”

“Because you love me,” she sing-songed into the phone.

“Yeah. Something like that,” Brian sighed, setting the phone on the dresser facing the ceiling so she couldn’t see the sad, longing look on his face.


	3. The Memory and the Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cece reflects on how she met Brian who is in for a rude awakening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual, there is no editor other than me. Any fault is my own. More notes at the end!

The fog horn exploded into Cece’s ear. She shot up, glancing around the darkened room in a startled state before she realized what was happening. She groaned and flopped back onto the bed, unceremoniously. The fog horn continued to blare until she shuffled over and smacked her hand onto her phone. _3:45AM_ blinked up at her as she slid her finger over the lock screen pattern, muttering about early mornings as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She typed out a quick text You better be up as she made her way into her bathroom, blinking at the brightness of the light that she flicked on overhead. As she cranked the shower into motion, she found her early morning wake-up playlist and scrolled until she found the song she was searching for.

As the beginning of Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop the Feeling blared around her, she tossed her oversized t-shirt back into her rom and slid into the steaming shower. The hot water hissed against her skin as she sighed, leaning against the coolness of the tiles to counteract the steam that was already licking against her skin. She let her mind wander as she scrubbed the coconut scented shampoo into her shoulder-length dark locks. Today was the last day of filming before the comedians took a three-week break. The main reason was that they had been filming every day for seven weeks straight, but the secondary reason was that Brian was going off to recertify and retrain for his Firehouse. His retraining meant that meant that he would be out of contact for three weeks; three whole weeks without Brian.

Cece sighed as she let the streaming water send the product spiraling down the drain, thinking about the scruffy looking Joker. She had known him for almost five years and she was always continuously surprised by him. If she had become friends with Jeremy for his ability to fill silence, she had been drawn to Brian by his ability to just sit in silence. That and his love of comics. And his love of everything nerdy. And for his love of animals. And for his service with the FDNY. And the list could go on and on forever. He had been the last one she had met after her hiring, their conversation short and clipped as he studied her with the quizzical tilt of his head that he always did when he was trying to figure something out. She smiled at the memory that flooded her brain as she grabbed for the body wash.

_“Brian!” Peter smiled widely at the man in the doorway. “Glad you could join us. You need to meet Dr. Cecelia Mercury,” Peter gestured to where she was sitting against the wall, her back pressed into the corner so she could get a good vantage point of the room. “She’s going to be our on-site physician.” Cece nodded her head in acknowledgement as the clean-shaven, baby-faced man entered the room, tipping his hat to her. “Dr. Mercury, this is Brian Quinn. The last member that you needed to meet.” Brian busied himself with pulling off his long, black, winter coat revealing a plain red tee under a black zip-up hoodie as voices echoed into the room from the hallway._

_Cece turned back to her notebook as Sal, Joe, and James tumbled into the room, laughing as the coffee they were carrying sloshed around in the cups in their hands. She picked up bits of the conversations that they were having: podcasts, both theirs and Brian’s, the ratings, filming locations, and getting picked up for another season. She sensed James walking towards her before she acknowledged him, her nerves still on edge and her body still not fully adjusted to civilian life. She looked up at him and he beamed down at her, holding out a cup of coffee for her to take. She nodded at him as Sal hollered out to him, cackling loudly._

_Brian slid into the seat next to her as the three other Jokers began to dominate the conversation. He was much quieter than his friends, but when he did speak the deep timber of his voice resonated deep within Cece’s chest. He kept his hat slung over his mop of wavy hair, sipping his coffee quietly as she hastily took notes. When the conversation at the table began to draw towards what bits they should do for the second season, Brian turned his head over to her._

_“So you from New York originally?” His Staten Island accent tingled all the way down to her fingertips._

_“Born in the Midwest actually,” she said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear nervously._

_“Raised here?”_

_“Little bit here, little bit there. Military father meant we spent time all over.”_

_“Ah,” Brian nodded, sipping his coffee again. “So have you worked on other shows before ours?”_

_“Actually no. I interviewed here for a change of pace. A new scenery and some peace and quiet.” Brian’s eyes crinkled and he tilted his head towards her, gears beginning to slot into place._

_“If you came here for peace and quiet, you’re in the wrong place” Joe said, fully turning to Cece and Brian._

_“Eavesdropping isn’t nice,” Cece said, after her heart had jumped a little by Joe’s loud voice._

_“I’m not exactly nice either,” Joe winked at her, causing her to smile. “We also ain’t quiet.”_

_“Quieter than my old job,” Cece shrugged. “I like it here so far. Everybody’s been wonderful.”_

_“Well if anyone gives ya shit, let me know,” Joe puffed his chest out slightly. “I’ll take care of ‘em.”_

_“She can handle herself Joe,” Brian said without looking away from Cece. She turned and locked eyes with him as Joe was pulled back into the conversation at the table. Brian hesitated, tongue trapped between his teeth like the words trapped in his throat._

_“You can ask,” Cece nodded, knowing that he had begun to put two and two together._

_“Where were you stationed?” he finally asked, voice low so that the others couldn’t hear._

_“Iraq.” She turned her head, scanning the room on instinct. “Three years.”_

_“Three years?” Brian gasped. She could sense the shock on his face._

_“Three before that I was in Africa.”_

_“When was the last time you were here?”_

_“When my mother died four years ago.” There was a lingering silence between the pair of them. “She only lived a year after my father died in Iraq. Broken heart.”_

_“So then you went Iraq.”_

_“Then I went to Iraq,” Cece nodded and turned back to Brian. “With the Green Berets.”_

_“No shit?” Brian’s eyebrows disappeared into his hat._

_“Shit,” she smirked back, sipping her coffee._

_“And here these idiots think I’m a hero cause I’m a firefighter,” Brian shook his head, looking around the room as well._

_“You are a hero for being a firefighter,” she said, leaning towards him slightly. “Don’t let anyone tell you different.”_

_“You’re my hero,” Brian said, turning back and locking eyes with her again. Cece’s breath caught in her chest as she realized how close they were to each other._

_“You just met me,” she whispered._

_“Well,” he said, eyes flickering briefly to her lips before coming back up and meeting her eyes. “Let’s change that.” He stuck his hand forward and said, in fake seriousness, “Brian Quinn. Star of Impractical Jokers and Firefighter. You can call me Q, everyone does.”_

_“Cecelia Mercury,” she pulled back so she could shake his hand firmly. “On-set Medic for Impractical Jokers, retired Green Beret and Army Ranger. You can call me Cece, everyone does.” They stayed there, grinning at each other with their hands met in a handshake for a few seconds before Sal hollered for Brian’s opinion on something, shattering their moment._

Cece shut the water off as it began to grow cold on her skin and snagged her towel. She remembered chastising herself for getting caught up in his charms when Jeremy later told her that he was the group’s Ladies Man and had been with a different girl almost every month since they’d filmed the first season. But as the years went on, the women appeared less and less. Over the past year, Brian had been with maybe only three women which Brian had waved off at having higher standards; Sal joked that he was getting old. Privately, Cece hoped that it was something else entirely. Brian only took women home when Cece brought Anthony around this year; before that there was no one and had been no one since Cece had been dumped by the lawyer last September.

She shook her head as she rumpled the towel through it. It was thoughts like these that she continued to push down and never spoke to anyone about. She couldn’t date her boss and she doubted that Brian felt the same way. He flirted with most of the women he met, letting his charm and carefree scruff capture the attention of whomever he came across. When it came to her, Brian never really flirted with her, at least in her mind. He wasn’t the braggadocios, charming devil that he was with other women; he was relaxed, more like he was with the Tenderloins instead of like he was trying to get into someone’s pants.

Cece accidently shoulder-checked the door, the sudden burst of pain snapping her out of her thoughts. The clock on her wall clicked into 4AM as she flipped the light switch, sighing as she tossed the towel onto the bed. She grabbed the outfit she had laid out the night before, knowing that she’d be too tired to think about what to wear for their long day, and slid it on. Her brain flitted to coffee as she pulled a flannel over her torso, covering her tattoos and adding an extra sliver of warmth over the New Jersey Devils' tank top she wore. She padded out to the kitchen, flipping the switch of the coffee pot and leaving it to brew as she went to finish getting ready.

She was prepared for the phone to ring fifteen minutes later, but it still startled her. The image on the screen flicked to Brian’s face scrunched up next to hers, both of them making a goofy face at the front facing camera. Cece smiled at the screen for a brief second before answering the call.

“Morning sunshine,” she sang into the phone.

“I hate that you’re a morning person,” Brian’s voice was gruff with sleep; it was Cece’s favorite tone of his voice.

“Glad to hear that you’re at Sal’s,” Cece laughed, knowing that his bright red Jeep would be idling in front of Sal’s two story place at the edge of Staten Island. “You guys are actually going to be right on time today, I’m impressed.”

“Hush,” Brian growled. There was another sound that began to filter in and Cece recognized Sal’s grumpy mumble. “Sal wants to know if you’ll have coffee ready for us?”

“As always,” Cece stepped back into the kitchen. “It isn’t our morning commute without…” Cece trailed off, eyeing the coffee pot with wary eyes.

“Cece?” Brian asked. “Cece, is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Cece said with a sigh, holding up the coffee pot. White crumbles had settled into the bottom of the pot, swishing around and dissolving slightly as she swished it around. “We gotta change the pick-up point though.”

“What?” Brian’s voice was now laced with concern, the gruff morning tone gone. “What’s happened?”

“Well if you want coffee, I’m gonna have to grab some,” she sighed, slotting the pot back into its place and shutting it off. “My coffee maker has finally died.”

“It only took three years,” Brian chuckled, voice relaxing.

“I’ll walk out to the Square at the corner of Prospect park,” Cece said, marching back to her room. “You can grab me there.”

“Be safe, okay? I hate thinking about you wandering around Brooklyn at this time of night.”

“Technically it’s day.”

“I still don’t like it,” Brian said pointedly.

“Relax. It’s only a few blocks. You guys’ll get there in no time.”

“I can get there faster if I speed.”

“Brian,” Cece chastised as she heard the revving of Brian’s prized Jeep.

“See you in 15,” Brian chuckled.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Love you too,” Brian laughed fully before the call ended.

Cece slipped her phone in her pocket as she snagged her work backpack from her desk chair before throwing a few other items into it. Her phone charger, the last comic book from Wednesday that she hadn’t finished, the novel Brian had recommended, and a handful of protein bars from her snack basket on her desk made their way into the bag alongside her computer, tablet, and her usual work binder and notebook. She flipped the lights to her room off and snagged the duffel bag containing the outfits for tonight off of the floor in front of her door. She slid the lock shut behind her before spinning her keys in her hands as she made her way down the stairs of her apartment.

Brooklyn was always quieter than Manhattan, something that Cece appreciated after coming home from war. It wasn’t as quiet as Staten Island where she often spent her free weekends with Brian and Sal, but it was quiet enough for her. She ducked out of the apartment’s front door and down the steps moving to the North to walk underneath the Prospect Expressway. The buses were running, lighting up the street until she made it to the lit-up Prospect Park West so she could make her way up the three blocks to the Dunkin’ Donuts that was one of the only things open on the street. She was instantly hit with the smell of baking donuts as she smiled at the college student behind the counter.

“Morning Ms. Cece!” he said chipperly.

“Morning Carson,” Cece shifted the duffle bag on her shoulder. “How was your test on Tuesday?” 

“I think it went well,” Carson nodded. “You’re in early today. Just want your usual afternoon pick me up?”

“Actually no,” Cece tapped her fingers on the counter looking over the menu. “I’m picking up a couple of things. I need my usual with a turbo shot, plus a Caramel Macchiato, a hot Oolong tea, a vanilla chai, a medium roast with milk and a sugar, a pumpkin latte, and two Box O’Joe.”

“Your turn to pick up for the shoot today?” Carson asked, eyes wide.

“My coffee pot broke finally. Figured I’d be nice to everyone,” Cece chuckled swiping her card quickly.

“I don’t see your car out there,” Carson crinkled his eyes as he began helping the other man behind the counter making the drinks. “Did you walk here?”

“Yeah,” she scrubbed her hand over her face. “I got Q and Sal picking me up in about five.” Carson’s face shifted slightly, biting his bottom lip uncomfortably.

“Cool cool,” he nodded. It took a few minutes for everything to be put together, but barely two minutes before Brian was supposed to arrive, Cece was standing at the Circle War Memorial, facing Prospect Park with two bags at her feet and a cup tray in her hands. She shut her eyes and inhaled deeply, the dark roast smell curling around her nostrils happily.

When she opened her eyes, there was a tall, shadowy figure leaning against one of tall stone poles that marked one of the entrances to the park. She took a sip, trying to act casual as she glanced up and down the street while keeping her senses on the man across the way. Her gut was churning as he stood stock still, his wide body ticking some familiar feelings in the back of her throat. She openly stared, her mind racing as she felt a weird grip of fear overcome her. The body shifted, moving to take a step forward. The rev of an engine crackled into the circle and the bright red Jeep pulled to a stop.

“What do you have?” Brian grinned at her from the open window. Cece blinked, eyes still full of fear, before turning back to the pole. The figure was gone. “What’s wrong?” Brian was already out of the Jeep and next to her, staring to where she had looked. “Are you alright?”

“I…yeah,” she squeezed her eyes shut. “Sorry. I think I’m just tired.”

“Alright,” Brian tore his eyes away from the entrance to the park. He put a hand on her arm. “Whatcha got there?”

“A gift,” she said, holding out the tray to him. “Bottom right is yours, top left is Sal’s.”

“Did you really get everyone coffee?”

“Why not?” she shrugged, shifting the duffel bag on her shoulder and snagging the other drink tray from the top of one of the bags. “It’s the last time I get to see you until the Halloween party.”

“We’re not talking about that,” Brian sighed, nudging her before picking up the bags on the ground. “I’ve heard about it enough from Sal on the way here. I don’t need it from you too.”

“Three weeks is a long ass time Brian Quinn,” Sal hollered from the passenger seat. “It’s not like I’m not thankful that you go and save people and shit. But three weeks for retraining with no phone, no computer, no contact to the outside world? That’s just dumb.”

“Tell us how you really feel Sal,” Cece grinned, sliding into the back seat after tossing her duffle bag into the spot behind Sal.

“I know you’re not happy about it either,” Sal grumbled, snagging the tray from Brian’s hands as he slid back into the car. “Don’t even pretend like you are.”

“I never said I was,” she protested, slotting her seatbelt into place as Brain revved the engine again. “I’m gonna miss him too, but he’s coming back to us. And it’s not like he’s gonna be out of the country. He’s still gonna be on your island.”

“But he’s not going to be around,” Sal whined. “Thanks for this, by the way.” Cece smiled at him, before he turned back around and looked at her. “What are your plans for the next few weeks?”

“I still work Sally boy,” Cece chuckled. “It’s gonna be me working with the insurance guys about Murr’s accident and then making sure we have everything squared away for the rest of the season.”

“Well we’ll hang out,” Sal waved his hand as he sipped his coffee. “Life’s going to be too quiet over the next three weeks.” Cece nodded, sighing and glancing over at the back of Brian’s head. Brian met her eyes in the review mirror, watching as she sighed and turned to look out the window.

“You guys act like you’re never gonna see me again,” Brian protested, pulling onto the bypass that would lead them straight in Manhattan. “It’s gonna be a quick three weeks and then you’ll be wishing that I was back in training.”

“And why’s that?”

“Cause I’ll have a whole new set of ideas,” Brian grinned over at his best friend. “A whole new set of punishments to get back at you guys.”

“That’s with the caveat that you win challenges,” Sal pointed out. Cece sighed, letting Sal and Brian bicker their way all the way into Manhattan. She chose to watch the waves of the Hudson push underneath the bridge. Her silence didn’t go unnoticed by Brian, who kept a sharp eye on her as he sipped his coffee. The hot liquid settled into his stomach, the taste curling happily against his taste buds. She always knew just how he liked his coffee; no one else could get it quite right, not like her at least.

She was out of the car before he had even parked it when they arrived at the Staten Island Ferry terminal. He and Sal shut their doors behind them as she was passing out coffee to the crew members who had already begun their set-up for the morning shoot. Brian watched, peering into the backseat where she had let her bag.

“She need that you think?” Brian asked over the Jeep.

“Nah,” Sal waved his hand, shouldering his bag. “If she needs it, she’ll come grab it.”

 

 

 

“We’re here at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey,” Brian grinned at the camera, shoving his hands even further into his coat pockets against the September wind. “being tour guides for school tours.”

“Weeeeeeeeell.” Brian’s face paled as his head whipped around at his friends.

“No, no, no, no,” he said, stepping back and holding his hands out in front of him. “You guys…”

“We’re actually here for Q’s latest punishment,” Joe cackled as Sal wrapped a hand around Brian’s wrist and tugged him forward.

“You guys,” Brian could hear his voice pitching upwards as he tried to pull away from Sal.

“It’s fine,” Murray said, waving his arms. “All you have to do for now is just sit here.” Brian’s eyes widened even further.

“Are you fucking serious??”

“Brian,” Peter chastised from behind the camera. “We can’t use that now.”

Brian felt his chest tighten as he looked down at the wheelchair. There were straps that had been attached everywhere and Brian knew exactly what was about to happen. He was going to get strapped down and something was going to happen. He wasn’t expecting this; the only thing that he was dreading was saying goodbye to everyone later, but even then it wasn’t something that made his stomach churn the way that this shock was. The morning had gone just fine, aside from Cece’s refusal to acknowledge that Brian was leaving. He had tried to ask her if she was okay, if she wanted to grab lunch with him in between shoots, but she had shrugged him off with an excuse about talking to the insurance guys on the phone to be sure everything was sent off. Did she know? the thought crossed his brain and his eyes flitted over to just over Peter’s shoulder. Cece had her arms crossed and she was staring at the screen, more intently that she’d ever watched filming before.

“I’m not doing this,” Brian shook his head rapidly.

“It’s your punishment,” Sal smirked at him, pulling him forward.

“Guys,” Brian tugged again.

“Come on Q,” Murray grasped Brian’s other wrist. “Time for your punishment.”

“Is this for real?” Brian looked over to Peter, who was grinning from ear-to-ear. “You’re serious?”

“Stop fighting it and let it happen buddy,” Joe clapped him on the back as he was shoved into the wheelchair.

“I hate you,” Brian grumbled as they backed up. “I hate you all so much.”

“No you don’t,” Sal said as he backed up.

“What are you-” the question died on Brian’s lips as Cece stepped out from behind Peter and into the camera lines.

“This is our friend Cece,” Sal slung his arm around her with a grin. “She’s our medic and she’s going to make sure Brian doesn’t freak out and hurt himself while he’s tied up.”

“Remember the tarantula punishment?” Murray squeaked out a giggle causing Brian’s face to pale significantly.

“Well she’s the one who chained him up the first time,” Joe smiled. “So we figured we should stick with that theme.” Brian exhaled shakily as she stepped up with a small smile.

“Can we cut the cameras?” Cece asked, upon looking over Brian’s face.

“Awe, c’mon,” Sal whined. “It’s going to be great TV.”

“You have so much more time to create TV,” Cece stuck her hands on hips and glared over at him.

“Fine,” Sal rolled his eyes after a silent conversation with Cece. “Camera’s off. Let’s go ahead and get ready for the next thing.”

“Thank you,” Brian sighed, relaxing slightly as Cece knelt down towards him.

“Of course,” she smiled at him. “Now here’s what’s going to happen. I’m gonna bind you to this chair and then we’re gonna go from there. Okay?”

“Why does this sound like you’re trying to pull me into a BDSM contract?”

“Why does your mind immediately go to that?” she laughed, a full smile blooming over her face.

“You know me,” he shrugged as her arms wrapped around him. He inhaled deeply, scent of coconuts flooding his brain as her hair brushed his shoulder. “Got a dirty mind.”

“So,” she said, purposefully changing the subject. “You ready for training over the next weeks?”

“Eh,” he sighed, looking down at the neon straps that were beginning to be strapped around his chest. “It’s going to be weird without seeing you guys every day.”

“I agree,” she sighed. She tightened the strap with a tug and Brian winced. “Sorry. I just have to make sure you don’t go anywhere.”

“So you knew about this?” he asked, halfway looking up at her as she stood up.

“My idea, actually,” she smiled at him.

“What?” his eyes grew wide, shock written on his face. “Why would you do this?”

“It’s alright,” she said, wrapping another strap around his leg.

“How can you say this is alright?” he shrieked, shifting his leg in a moment of panic. “This is one of the worst- “

“Do you trust me?” she asked. Brian blinked, looking down at her now.

“What?”

“Do you trust me?” she strapped his leg in tightly.

“Always.”

“Then listen,” she said, moving to his opposite leg. “I’ll be with you the whole time. It’s not as bad as you think, I promise.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Brian inhaled deeply, the strap creaking underneath the expansion of his chest, and allowed Cece to continue her work. When she was close to finishing up, she nodded back on Peter.

“Alright, let’s turn the cameras back on. Three, two, one,” Peter pointed back at Sal who grinned at the camera again.

“And now, in what, no doubt, will bring flashbacks of my own crazy punishment,” Sal trailed off and looked back at Cece. Brian watched her face twitch into a sad, apologetic smile as she pulled out a bright red bandana folded up. Brian winced and looked up worried. Cece knew the wince would be caught on camera, and winked quickly before leaning down and placing the bandana over his eyes, nimble fingers tying it against the back of his skull.

“So we’re gonna go now,” Joe said before a hand clamped down on Brian’s shoulder.

“Wait, what?” Brian whipped his head around.

“Don’t worry buddy,” Murray’s voice echoed around him. “We’ll see you there.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll find out,” Sal teased before laughing.

Peter yelled cut shortly afterwards, but Brian could only hear the pulse pumping against his ears. He couldn’t relax and moving was difficult as well. As he heard sounds of the crew packing up, a hand grasped one of his strapped down hands gently. Just by the scrapping of nails against his skin and the feeling of callouses against his palms, he knew that Cece was gripping his hand.

“We’re gonna move you, okay?” she said, softly and close to his ear. Brian gulped a little, but nodded quickly. “I’m gonna stay right here with you,” she said, touching the side of his face. He jumped a little at that and she pulled away. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” Brian didn’t even get a chance to mumble back before he was being pushed forward, the wheels squeaking underneath him.

“Well that’s not going to get annoying at all,” he muttered to himself. The tinkle of laughter that came from his left made him smile; it was Cece, walking alongside him, shifting bags and shuffling papers.

“Leave it to the boys to find a way to make this punishment not only horrifying, but aggravating as well,” Cece chuckled.

“Oh, so it’s horrifying huh?” Brian said, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Easy Bri,” she squeezed his hand. “It’s going to be okay. This is the worst of it, I promise.”

“See, you keep saying that but I highly doubt that it’s the truth.”

“What happened to you trusting me?”

“Oh I trust you just about as far as I can throw you.” Brian let a sly smile spread across his face as Cece’s laugh blossomed across his skin.

“That’s something I’d love to see.”

“I bet I’d surprise you.”

“You do realize I’m built like a tank and could destroy you in a fight?”

“What does that have to do with it?”

“Because you lifting me might not be as easy as you think.” They stopped walking and Brian could hear the sounds of a door being opened. “We’re turning the camera’s back on for a little bit alright? Gotta get some shots of you on the move.”

“Alright,” he nodded and steadied his face. 

Cece had been on the show before a bunch of times. She had been filmed as the stoic, unforgiving face in the face of some of their worst punishments. The fans had grown to know her both on and off camera, from her few appearances on the show as well as the role that she obviously played in all of their lives. But it was her on camera role that Brian hated the most; she was a strong professional who took every inch of her job seriously and it was often misconstrued as her being a hard ass or a bitch. Cece went along with it after GIFs started popping up from her first episode where she had chastised he and Sal about endangering Joe and Murray’s lives by putting them in a paintball game unprotected. From there, she always kept her face hard and her eyes rolling when she was roped into a punishment. He couldn’t see her, but he knew the moment that the camera’s started rolling when her hand extracted itself from his. There was a sudden whirring sound and he felt a sudden jerk as he was pulled upwards. He whipped his head around rapidly.

“Easy killer,” Cece’s professional tone floated into his ear from a few feet away. “Don’t want to give yourself whiplash before we get to the good stuff.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Don’t cry to me about it.” There was enough of a teasing tone in her voice that he instantly felt calmer. The calm in his body didn’t last for long as he was unceremoniously shoved forward. A sudden slamming sound sent his body into a jump, that he tried to cover with a cough. There was a chuckle at the front of the van that indicated to him that there was someone else in the van with him. The door next to him opened up and a familiar scent crashed into him: Cece was next to him again.

“The package is on the move,” Cece’s voice barked crisply.

“Roger Alpha,” Sal’s voice crackled through what Brian assumed was the filming walkie talkies. “Bravo squad on the move.”

“Meet at Point Indigo in T-30.”

“Roger that alpha. Bravo out.”

“This is stupid,” Brian grumbled, almost feeling the train of a camera on him.

“You wouldn’t be thinking that if it was Sal strapped into the van.”

“What do you know?”

“That this is your worst nightmare. Why do you think that we chose it for you?”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

“Debatable right now.”

“No it isn’t.” He heard a beeping noise and Cece’s exhale followed quickly after. “Alright Bri,” her tone was instantly lighter now that the camera was off. “We’re gonna go for a ride. Just sit back and relax, okay?”

“Easy for you to say. You at least know where we’re going.”

“It’s part of my job to know these things.” Brian’s mouth opened to respond, but his mind felt like it short-circuited when her arm nestled against him. “I’m gonna take a quick nap, if that’s alright? With traffic, it’ll take us a good few to get there.”

“Fine.”

“You might as well try to sleep too. I know Sal wants to drag you out tonight.”

“He knows I hate that shit.”

“That’s why he’s forcing you to do it.”

“If I’m getting pulled out, you’re coming too.”

“Shush Bri. I’m sleeping.” Brian smirked a little as Cece shuffled around to get comfortable. He could feel his own eyes sliding shut as the van slid into gear and it barely took five minutes for Cece’s head to drop onto his shoulder. Her training gave her the ability to fall asleep at the drop of a hat, something that Brian often envied when it came to catching a quick nap. He couldn’t even count the number of times that she’d fallen asleep on him in the past few years. While initially, it took her a while to build up enough trust to relax around them in the office, once she knew that she wasn’t in a hostile environment she had fallen in easily with the group. Brian had initially been envious of Sal’s ability to make her feel safe and comfortable, but had realized that he had a different effect on her entirely. While Sal made her laugh and relax, she only really slept when Brian was around which made him feel good when she confessed that she could only sleep in public places when she knew someone had her back.

The drive that Cece had said would take thirty minutes felt like it took an hour. There was stop and go traffic all the way, which made Brian suspicious that they were heading back into Manhattan. Whoever was driving had made several twists and turns and Brian’s sense of direction had been completely jumbled. It was incredibly unnerving to him to have his sense of direction removed from him. He usually had the best sense of direction out of everyone, save only to Cece, so this was very unsettling. The shifting of gears told Brian that they had arrived and then the driver turned in his chair and Cece jerked upright.

“Right,” she mumbled, her voice raspy with sleep. “We’re here.” He felt her stretch and pop her back as she unbuckled her seatbelt. The doors flicked open and Cece’s scent vanished from his side as he was pulled out. He could hear mutterings of Joe’s voice mixed with Cece’s from behind him as a thick hand landed on his shoulder.

“You ain’t ready for this pal.”

“Spare me the theatrics Sally boy,” Brian said, feeling his accent thicken up with his false bravado. “Let’s just get on with whatever you got planned.”

“He’s sassy today,” Sal said to someone next to him. Brian let the conversations play out over his head as he was wheeled towards whatever destination they had in mind. As a door creaked open, a familiar scent hit him. He could quite place it, but he knew that he knew that scent. He’d been here before. But where exactly was here? Another ping, but this time it sounded like an elevator. His suspicions were confirmed by a second ping and a downward lurching feel.

“Alpha and Bravo, en route.” Cece’s voice was clipped and short. Cameras on then. We must be getting close.

“Point Indigo ready to receive.”

“This is all incredibly weird,” Brian said, shifting and flexing his fingers nervously.

“This is what happens when our resident Ranger does the op,” Murray chuckled.

“See how much smoother things would run if you just let me rule your life?” Cece’s voice softened slightly.

“Yeah, we’d find ourselves in a sudden dictatorship.” Joe’s comment was meant by a solid hit and Joe’s squeal, followed by laughter. Brian chuckled to himself and smiled, definitely wanting to see that back on camera. The ding quieted down the laughter and then Brian was being pushed forward. Whispers were happening behind his head and he craned his neck to try to hear what was being said.

“No cheating,” Cece’s hand smacked the back of his head playfully. Brian stuck his tongue out. “Have fun boys. I’m out.” Brian felt his skin prickle as she squeezed his neck and she marched away from them, her boots clicking against the tile.

“And then there were four,” Murray taunted. Sal laughed, an attempt at being evil and Brian rolled his eyes beneath the blindfold.

“What happens now?” he asked.

“We wait.”

“We wait?” Brian turned his head to where Joe’s voice had come from.

“They’re setting up a few things. Should only be five minutes, tops.”

“I don’t like this.”

“So you’ve said,” Murray giggled. Brian sighed and sat there, trying to be as patient as he could possibly be. Joe was right, when five minutes later they were moving again. There was a temperature change that made Brian’s skin tingle. It was colder here, significantly colder than the brisk September air. It didn’t take him long to wonder though, because Sal was speaking in his ear.

“You ready?” Brian nodded. “Three, two, one.” Sal yanked the red bandana off of his eyes and Brian blinked, adjusting to the light. His mouth dropped open as a cheer rose up around him.

“You didn’t really think we were gonna punish you on your last day before break, did you?” Cece grinned down at him from in between Andy Greene and Cory Schneider of the New Jersey Devils. Brian blinked around at the roaring crowd that had filled the Prudential Center for the afternoon Devils game. His face was plastered up on the screens as Joe, Sal, and Murray made quick work of the straps.

“Please welcome today’s honorary captain, Brian Quinn from the Impractical Jokers!!” the announcer roared. Sal yanked Brian to his feet, clapping his friend on the back with a grin.

“Like we said, it was Cece’s idea.” Brian whipped his head from his best friend to Cece who was whispering to the captains of his favorite hockey team with a small smile. Brian stepped forward and Andy Greene clapped his hand in a firm grip. He barely registered Andy talking to him, followed closely by Cory Schneider; his eyes were firmly trained on Cece who had abandoned speaking to the hockey players for speaking rapidly into the walkie talkie in her hands. He pulled away from the captains and marched straight to her, pulling her attention back to him.

“Your idea, huh?” he whispered, trying to make his lips unreadable for the cameras to see.

“Figured you’re about to go off and do some crazy shit. Ought to send you out in style.”

“You’re the best,” he said with a sigh, pulling Cece into his arms for a hug.

“Remember that later tonight when Sal gets us absolutely trashed,” she grinned up at him.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he laughed, hugging her tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taking so long between updates guys. This NaNoWriMo is killing me. I'm hoping to get the next chapter up and out with in the next few days! Thanks for your comments and all of your patience with me!


	4. The Drinks and the Dancing

The pulse of the bass thudded through Cece’s fingers as she leant against the railing of the top section of the club. She looked over across the bottom floor and dance floor where she could pick out different members of the crew along with several of Brian’s buddies from TESD and all four of the Tenderloins. Sal had rented out the top section of a club somewhere in Staten Island; she hadn’t paid much attention to the details since she was in charge of the game. Even if she hadn’t paid attention, she knew it was one of the places Sal usually dragged her to. She could see some familiar faces among the staff, and the doorman had definitely recognized her. Her gaze locked on to Brian who was leaning against the bar, laughing wildly at something that someone in the group surrounding him had said.

He had changed his clothes from the ones that he had filmed all day in, for the ones that Cece had brought with her in the duffle bag. His scruffy filming look of light jeans, t-shirt, and his favorite zip-up jacket had transformed into dark jeans, black V-neck t-shirt, and a bright red sports jacket that matched the Devils’ colors that he had exchanged from the hat that Cece had shoved on his head when they were at the game. Cece smiled as Brian began miming something wildly and she sipped at whatever drink Bessy had shoved into her hand when she first arrived after the four Jokers had. Bessy appeared moments later, sliding next to her and nudging her with her shoulder.

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” the brunette followed her friend’s gaze. Cece blinked and shook her head.

“Thinking about what my next drink’s gonna be,” Cece turned to Bessy and made a face. “This shit is disgusting.”

“It’s Sex on the Beach! What’s not to love?”

“Sand in places you don’t want it?” Bessy glared at Cece’s sarcasm. “Sorry. It’s not my cup of tea.”

“Just finish it and then we’ll go get shots.”

“So if I chug this now, we get shots?”

“You should not chug-Cece!!” Bessy’s mouth fell as Cece snagged the straw out of the drink and gulped it down.

“That a girl!” Joe’s voice echoed over to the pair as Cece grimaced at the cold hitting her brain and the alcohol taste sliding down her throat.

“Going for broke tonight, huh?” Murray giggled, obviously affected by the few drinks that he’d had so far.

“Bes promised me shots if I finished this,” Cece wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She squinted at the quarter full drink and shook the impending brain freeze from her head. “Ugh. This is too sweet Bes. How can you drink this shit?”

“I think it’s fantastic,” Bessy stuck her tongue out at her as Joe’s arm wrapped around her waist.

“It looks toxic,” Joe teased, causing Bessy to turn to her husband in mock anger. Cece could hear them play fighting at her side as her eyes swept over the dance floor. Her gaze finally landed on the fourth Joker who was thriving in his natural habitat of the dance floor. Sal’s eyes locked with her, moving up from the girl he was dancing with as if he could feel Cece’s stare. He nodded up at her, sensing the incoming question from her; Cece held her fingers apart to the approximate size of a shot glass and then gestured to the four of them and then to the bar. Sal nodded in agreement and began to extract himself from the girl who was currently grinding on him. Cece turned to the three.

“Sal and I are getting shots. Who’s in?”

“We’re all in,” Bessy said with a wicked grin.

“Could you grab me another coke while you’re down there?” Joe asked, swirling his glass of mostly ice at her. “If I’m gonna have to lug you all home later, I want to be well hydrated for it.”

“You act like we’re all a bunch of rambunctious children,” Murray rolled his eyes, sipping his beer.

“Well according to a certain asshole,” Joe looked pointedly at Cece who shook her head.

“And on that note, I’m going to get some shots.” Cece fled the group, feeling their eyes on her as she descended the steps slowly. Sal was weaving his way toward the bar, squeezing his way through the crowd with a smirk and a nod. Cece grinned at Jeremy who had his hands above his head and was swaying to the beat of the music. He threw her a wink before turning back to the body behind him, whoever had caught his eye for the night. She pushed her way through a slew of bodies before landing at the edge of the bar with a thud, having been shoved by someone behind her. She felt a growl threaten to let loose from her throat, shooting a glare over her shoulder to wherever the person was.

“Are you alright?” Cece spun and looked up at a tall, lithe man to her left.

“Yeah,” she nodded, feeling a shy smile brush up on her face. “Crazy crowd in here.”

“You can say that again,” the man nodded, leaning on the bar with one of his arms so that he could fully size up to Cece. “Liam.”

“Cecelia,” she said, allowing the smile to blossom fully onto her face as she placed her hand in his.

“Beautiful name,” he said, breathlessly. He ran a hand through his mid-length auburn hair that curled around his fingers.

“My parents thought so too.” Liam barked out a laugh that made Cece look down and grin.

“With a sense of humor as well.”

“I do what I can,” she shrugged. He glanced over his shoulder at a clump of his friends behind him and Cece took the spare second to look him over. He was dressed in all black, his half sleeve shirt had his first few buttons undone to expose a patch of thick, dark chest hair. He had a dark snake tattoo wrapped around his left forearm along with a smudge of letters, inked onto the same wrist. His goatee was shaved close to his face and he ran his hand over it absent mindedly. When he shifted as if he was going to turn back to her, she turned her head to look at the bartender.

One thing about going out with the guys in Staten Island was that they went to the same haunts with the same bartenders. The man behind the bar recognized Cece when they locked eyes and he waved in recognition. She smiled back and raised her hand back before miming for a drink. She had seen him enough and had been here enough with Sal that he knew her order, which he acknowledged with a thumbs-up and a grab for the Maker’s Mark bottle behind him.

“So Cecelia,” Liam said, causing Cece to spin back to him.

“So Liam,” she purred, purposefully tilting her head.

“What brings you here tonight?”

“I work on a show and we’re had our last filming for about a month,” Cece fiddled with the sleeves of her dark, leather jacket. “So we’re all out celebrating.”

“I thought that it felt unnaturally crowded in here,” Liam said with a smile on his face.

“Yeah an extra fifty bodies in here will do that,” she laughed.

“So what do you do in television?” he asked, fiddling with the rim of his drink.

“I’m the on-site medic. Nothing super exciting unfortunately.”

“That sounds more exciting than my job,” Liam shrugged.

“Which is what exactly?”

“I’m an editor over in Manhattan.”

“Well that still sounds like a lot of fun.”

“You’ve never read three hundred pages a day, have you?”

“Uhh I can’t say that I have,” she shook her head, peering up at him through her eyelashes. Liam licked his bottom lip before pulling it in between his teeth.

“Well if you’d ever like a change of pace,” he trailed off, leaning a little closer to her.

“I’ll keep you in mind,” she shifted on her feet to knock her shoulder into his.

“Cece!” She turned to look at the bartender in front of her. “Sal told me earlier that you’re not allowed to pay for drinks tonight. It’s on his tab for doing the stuff earlier today.” Cece felt Liam shift away slightly as she nodded.

“In that case, when we get shots, make it your best stuff.”

“Always for you ma’am,” he saluted slightly before turning back to the rest of the bar.

“Before you start thinking the worst,” she turned back to Liam, swirling her drink to let the coke settle. “Sal is someone I work for and the stuff earlier today is work related.”

“So no boyfriend then?”

“No boyfriend,” she smirked. “What about you?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Liam said, grinning widely when Cece burst into laughter. “No girlfriend either.”

“Well that’s good to know,” she nodded.

“Cee!” a shout rang out from the corner behind her.

“Well you’re certainly popular,” Liam leaned down to say to her as Cece waved to Ming Chen who was barely towards her, obviously intoxicated.

“It pays to know people,” she said, looking back at Liam who was suddenly very close to her. Ming’s arrival shattered the moment, commenting on Cece’s Blue Lantern crop top that was underneath her jacket and the two were soon off chatting about the latest comic that had just come out. They spent a few moments talking about Comic Book Men and the latest TESD podcast that he had been on and Sal soon followed Ming up to Cece. By the time that Cece had thought about turning back to Liam, he had gone. She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. Another one bites the dust, she thought to herself as Sal flagged down the barman for shots. Ming clapped Sal on the shoulder and gave Cece a kiss on the cheek before vanishing to chase Brian down, promising to tell him to head upstairs for shots with them.

“So who was that?” Sal teased after ordering tequila shots, vodka shots, and another drink for Cece, Murray, Bessy, Joe, and himself.

“That was Ming,” Cece crinkled her face over at Sal. “You had that much already?”

“You know who I’m talking about,” Sal crossed his arms. “The guy who was flirting with you and that Q was staring daggers at.”

“I haven’t even seen Bri since you guys left the Center to get here,” Cece waved his comment away with a lie, watching as the bartender began pouring Grey Goose shots on a tray.

“He’s over there,” Sal pointed. Cece followed his finger to see Brian leaning against the bar, eyes on them as he chatted with Walt Flannigan and a blonde girl who had her back to them. It took Brian a moment before he realized that Cece had locked eyes with him. He smiled a forced smile, his fingers twitching on his glass on the bar. Cece relaxed her face and winked at him, mimicking a shot motion and jerking her thumb upstairs. Brian’s face relaxed and he laughed, nodding and holding up his finger.

“He seems fine to me,” Cece turned to look up at Sal.

“Well he wasn’t a few minutes ago. He obviously didn’t approve of whoever you were talking to.”

“You get too honest when you drink.”

“I’m just saying,” Sal shrugged.

“Why should he care anyway?” Cece nudged him, trying to press the churning of her stomach down to her toes.

“He worries,” Sal sighed. Turning to watch the bartender slide a full tray of shots to him, he put his arm around Cece and pulled her in. “We all worry.”

“I can take care of- “

“Yeah, yeah, we know you can take care of yourself. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t worry.” Cece sighed and shook her head. “We just want you to be safe.”

“So that means trying to cock-block me?”

“Whoa!” Sal’s arm flew off of her. “Damn girl! Are you lookin’ tonight or somethin’?”

“Well I can’t be lookin’ if you and whoever y’all are hangin’ out with that week keep coming up to me and interrupting’ shit,” Cece mocked Sal’s thickened accent with her hands on her hips.

“I do not sound like that,” Sal laughed loudly.

“Yeah you do,” she laughed alongside him, pulling the tray of tequila shots to her. “Let’s get these upstairs.”

“Shots shots shots shots shots!” Sal sang as he pulled up his own tray and followed Cece parting the crowd. As the ascended the stairs, Cece looked over her shoulder to see Brian patting Walt on the shoulder and nodding to the girl, eyes still following Cece. She smiled slightly to herself, turning around with a warm feeling spreading down to her fingers. That’s just the alcohol, she sighed to herself as she slid the tray onto the table where Joe, Bessy, and Murray were all sitting. The bartender had followed them up and slid the drinks on the table as Sal flopped down next to Murray.

“Where’s Q?” Joe asked, raising his voice over the music.

“He’s just behind us,” Cece jerked her thumb over her shoulder as she sat down next to Bessy, leaving the space in the booth next to Sal for Brian. “He was talking to Walt and some girl.”

“We should try to get Brian laid tonight,” Bessy said causing Cece to almost spit out the sip of her drink that she had just taken.

“I’m sorry?” Joe asked, laughing at his wife’s statement.

“When was the last time he had sex?” Bessy shrugged. “I worry about him.”

“He can take care of himself in that department,” Sal shook his head as Murray giggled next to him.

“I’m just saying,” Bessy continued as she swapped her empty drink for the full one on the tray. “As his best friends, shouldn’t you be his wingmen or something like that? Help him get laid? Isn’t that right Cece?”

“I’m staying out of this one,” she held her hands up in mock surrender. “It’s none of my business.”

“What’s none of your business?” Brian asked, sliding into the booth next to Sal with a sip of his drink.

“I’m trying to get you laid and Cece won’t help.” Brian choked on his drink, coughing violently as the table burst into laughter and Cece blushed a brilliant crimson.

“Phrasing Bes my God,” Cece hid her face in her hands.

“What? Oh! No!” Bessy shook her head violently as she figured out what she had said. “Not you have sex with Cece! Cece won’t be your wingman.”

“It’s Sal’s job to be his wingman,” Cece pointed across the table at Sal who was clapping his hands together gleefully.

“How about no one is my wingman and I just get myself laid?” Brian asked, breathlessly.

“That blonde girl you were chatting up earlier seemed into you,” Cece said, swirling her drink around before bringing it to her lips. “She’s just your type.”

“How do you even know what my type is?” Brian arched an eyebrow at her. “Been watching my game?”

“Every girl you’ve gone after for the past three years has been a blonde,” Cece smirked back, meeting the challenge in Brian’s voice. “So I think I know what your type is.”

“Please, you don’t know every girl that I’ve been with,” Brian narrowed his eyes.

“I bet I can remember their names better than you can,” Cece challenged him.

“Damn,” Sal laughed into his drink. Brian slapped his friend without breaking his stare down with Cece.

“I want to take that bet.”

“No you don’t dude,” Murray shook his head, propped up from his position in the corner of the booth. “You’re gonna lose because you’re terrible at names and she’s the best at them.”

“She’s got an iron trap, this one,” Joe’s finger prodded against Cece’s temple. Cece broke the stare to swat at Joe’s hand and laugh loudly.

“Shut up,” she giggled. “Let’s do our shots.”

“Tequila _and_ vodka?” Bessy blinked with wide eyes. “Are you trying to get us white girl wasted?”

“No one does white girl wasted better than the person who ordered them,” Cece said, passing the shots around the table.

“Sal!”

“What Bes?” Sal shrugged. “We need to let loose and party.”

“We party all the time,” Bessy protested.

“Oh come on,” Sal gestured to Murray who jumped in.

“Since Milana was born you guys haven’t come out with us half as much as you used to.”

“Well how about you have a kid and you’ll see how much time you have,” Bessy shot back, crossing her arms with a huff.

“How about you all stop arguing and just do your shots,” Cece said, extending her arm out and handing Bessy her shot.

“Gimmie the salt,” Sal motioned to Joe who responded by sliding it across the table.

“I hate this part of tequila,” Brian grumbled, rolling up his sleeve to lick his wrist.

“You hate _every_ part of tequila,” Cece laughed, causing Brian to laugh.

“That’s why we’re friends.”

“We’re friends cause I’m awesome,” Cece parried back, teasingly. Before Brian could shoot back a comment, Cece was peeling herself out of her leather jacket. Unaware of Brian’s tongue darting out to lick his lips as he stared, Cece rose out of her seat slightly and tossed her jacket behind Joe’s head, exposing her skin that was originally hidden underneath the jacket. She sat down, tossing her hair over her shoulder before licking a stripe across her wrist. “Salt me Quinn,” she said, holding her wrist out to him. Brian gulped and blinked before shaking the salt across the wet skin. Sal bit back a grin before handing his friend one of the shots, leaning over to him.

“You’re being obvious.” Sal’s comment caused Brian to shake his head to clear it.

“Ready?” Cece said, her attention at Bessy for a moment.

“I hate you guys.”

“No you don’t,” Murray sang as they all clinked glasses. Joe chuckled as the faces around him winced at the feeling of the alcohol burning their throats and the sourness of the limes that followed.

“God I hate tequila.”

“More than you hate us?” Cece winked at her friend who rolled her eyes.

“Let’s chase it with the vodka,” Bessy gestured to the other shots.

“Because that’s a good idea, honey,” Joe laughed.

“Hush,” Bessy waved her husband down as Sal handed her another shot, followed by an orange wedge.

“We should have screwdrivers next,” Murray said, causing Sal and Brian to roll their eyes.

“Dude,” Brian shook his head.

“They’re good!” Murray protested.

“Shut up and drink,” Cece clinked glasses with Brian who was still staring at Murray. The faces around the table were less disgusted this time.

“That wasn’t bad,” Sal smacked his lips slightly before narrowing his eyes at Cece. “Why wasn’t that bad?”

“When you open a tab and say that I’m not paying for my drinks, you might not want to have the bartender tell me. I’ll make sure he gives me only the good stuff.” Cece winked as Sal sputtered.

“You didn’t,” Brian roared with laughter.

“Fuck yeah I did,” Cece grinned before grabbing Bessy’s hand. “Let’s dance!” Cece laughed as she jogged to the stairs, hearing Sal’s voice yell over the noise of the club. She glanced over her shoulder and grinned at the sight of Brian holding Sal in the booth and Sal hollering after her, gesturing wildly as Murray and Joe cackled.

Cece wove her way through the crowd of people on the dance floor to find a spot suitable for the pair just as an old-school Christina Milian song began to blare, deep base thumping through the floor. Bessy snagged Cece’s hand as the sultry voice began to sing _Dip It Low_ and Cece grinned over her shoulder, watching as her friend tossed her free hand in the air and began to swing her hips. Cece laughed as they came into a free space and Bessy released her hand to spin around, her black skirt swirling around her thighs.

Cece let the beat flow through her as she put her hands up in the air and began to move. It was nice to have Bessy by her side for this party. She always enjoyed going out with the guys, but it was much harder to just let lose when one of them always had an eye on her or was dancing with her to keep others away. With Bessy on the floor next to her, she felt unstoppable; she felt sexy. She could move the way she wanted, without the feeling of one of the guys near her. She could attract attention if she wanted. She could drink what she wanted, go where she wanted, and she didn’t have a male shadow following her. Eiffel 65’s _Blue_ came on next, causing Bessy to laugh as Cece broke into the robot. The club began to jump along to the beat, the song an instant hit with the crowd.

Bessy poked Cece in the side, grabbing her attention away from the jumping. She pointed up to the railing where Cece was perched earlier and Cece spun to follow the finger. The four members of the Tenderloins were leaning on the balcony that overlooked the dance floor, drinks in their hands. They were all grinning, staring down at the pair of girls in the swarm of people. Joe gave Cece a thumbs up, which she returned with a middle finger, which caused the other three to laugh. Brian and Cece locked eyes and she tossed him a wink, which he returned. Cece felt something churn in the back of her chest by the way he looked at he while she was dancing, as if he could devour her if he stepped too close. Cece shook the thoughts out of her head as Jeremy swooped into her line of sight.

She didn’t know how long she had been dancing when she felt the sudden head rush that accompanied her usual tipsy state. The alcohol rushed through her veins suddenly, burning a path to her thumping heart. She shook her head, trying to clear the swooping feeling, when she caught sight of someone on the edge of the dance floor. Tall and looming, she squinted in the lights of the club, trying to make out the figure. She stopped dancing so that she could put every ounce of concentration into looking at the figure, who’s face was shadowed by the balcony that he stood under. Something tugged at her for the second time that day before someone grabbed her hand. She spun, her training instinctively taking over as she flipped the grips so she had the offending arm bent backwards uncomfortably from the person’s body.

“Cece!” Bessy squealed as Cece’s breathing hitched.

“Uhhh I didn’t mean to scare you,” Liam’s voice was barely audible over the music.

“Oh my God,” Cece let go of Liam as if she had suddenly been burned. “Liam! I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine,” Liam rubbed his wrist gingerly as he turned around. “I shouldn’t’ve snuck up on you like that. Especially after seeing the tattoos.” Liam’s fingers paused inches away from Cece’s skin, motioning to the Ranger and Beret ink that traced over her right shoulder and arm.

“Do you know this guy?” Jeremy asked, hand having sprung protectively in front of Cece when she had released Liam.

“Yeah,” Cece said, pressing Jeremy’s hand away. “Yeah, we met earlier.”

“I…I was gonna ask you to dance,” Liam trailed off, scratching his neck nervously. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“No, no,” Bessy stepped in, grasping Jeremy’s hand. “We were on our way back up to our friends anyway. C’mon Jer.”

“Don’t have too much fun,” Jeremy winked as Bessy pulled him away. Cece thought about flipping him off, but thought better of it in the end. She turned back to Liam who stood in front of her, looking guilty.

“I really didn’t mean- “

“Don’t apologize,” Cece stepped closer to him so that she could be heard of the music and dancing that was still thumping around them. “I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”

“You didn’t know,” Liam shrugged, his hands shoved in his pockets. “I mean I’m sure with a history like yours…” Liam trailed off. “I just have never known anyone in the military before.”

“No one?” Cece raised her eyebrows.

“Not until you.” The intensity of Liam’s gaze cause Cece to look down, a blush creeping over her face. “So about that dance?” Cece looked up, searching his eyes for a brief moment before nodding.

“This is a good song,” Cece grinned as Nelly Furtado’s _Promiscuous_ began with a thump and Timbaland’s voice echoing around the club. Liam held out his hand for her to take, spinning her into him with a flourish. Liam kept his hand in hers, the other wrapping cautiously on her him as he pressed into her. Cece felt her heart skip as she inhaled the oaky scent of his cologne that began to swirl around her. Liam was an amazing dancer, better than Sal which made Cece chuckle inside. His hips never stopped moving, even when he twirled her and spun her out. One dance turned into two, which turned into four. Cece could feel her heart racing every time she met Liam’s eyes. On the fifth dance, Cece felt his breath on her neck as the chorus pulsed through them and she tilted her head back onto his shoulder. She trembled in anticipation, feeling his lips centimeters away from her skin.

“Are you sure you don’t have a boyfriend?” Cece pulled out of his grasp to meet his eyes.

“What? No, I don’t.”

“The guy up there is staring,” Liam inclined his head. Cece looked up to see Brian, his teeth obviously grinding together and a spark of fury in his eyes. He was standing straight as a board, his grip on his drink so tight his knuckles were turning white. When he saw Cece looking up at him, he jerked his head in an indication to come upstairs.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Cece turned back to Liam who was looking concerned.

“Look, I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes,” he began, backing away from her.

“You’re not,” she said, following his steps. “He’s just super protective of me. We’ve been friends for years and he never thinks anyone is good enough.”

“That doesn’t look like a protective stare.”

“It is,” Cece protested, going to take Liam’s hand.

“Listen, I-”

“Liam,” a shorter man appeared next to them. “C’mon, Travis wants to do shots with us.”

“One sec Sam.”

“You know Travis doesn’t wait. And I don’t want to haul his big ass home. Let’s go.” Liam looked from his friend, Sam, and back to Cece.

“Come find me before you leave,” Liam said with a small smile. Cece felt her face fall with her heart and she nodded. She watched him follow the shorter man off the dance floor, staying rooted in place where she had been dancing just a few moments before. The song changed and she felt the anger seep into her veins. She turned up to the balcony where Brian was looking much more relaxed that he had. He beckoned her up with his large hand; Cece flipped him off, mouthing _Fuck you_. Brian’s face morphed into shock and Cece took great satisfaction in that as she stalked off to the bar. She flagged the bartender down as she approached before leaning over the bar.

“Jameson, neat. Put it on Quinn’s tab.” The bartender nodded and busied himself as a voice floated over to her.

“I’d ask if you were getting that for Bri, but he takes his on the rocks.” Cece turned to see Bryan Johnson tugging at his long beard. “What has you drinking Jameson tonight, girly?”

“Your co-host is a cock block,” Cece sighed.

“Damn girl,” Bryan chuckled. “Tell me how you really feel.” Cece sighed, snagging the glass off the bar as it was place in front of her. She drained it in one gulp, signaling for another as she looked over to Bryan.

“Apparently, he doesn’t approve of me having fun.”

“Your fun is wrong,” Bryan winked at her.

“My fun is always wrong,” Cece tossed her head back and laughed openly.

“What’s so funny?” Bryan and Cece looked over to find Brian standing there, fidgeting with the drink in his hands.

“Cece and I are just chatting about what we’re gonna talk about when she’s on the show,” Bryan said, smoothly covering their tracks.

“I still can’t believe you want me on the show,” Cece turned back to Bryan, swirling the glass in front of her. “You sure you want me on?”

“Stop questioning it,” Bryan clapped her on the shoulder. “You’ll do great. All you have to do is come on and shoot the shit with us like you do when Brian’s there.”

“Only instead of sitting next to Brian, I’ll sit in his chair.”

“Keep it warm for me, yeah?” Brian said, tossing a wink in her direction. Cece inclined her head a fraction before tossing the Jameson back. “Jesus Cece. What’s got you drinking tonight?”

“I don’t know,” Cece shifted, sliding the glass back to the bartender. “Could it possibly be that I was having a great time until someone scared away my dance partner?” Brian’s eyes narrowed and his body visibly stiffened.

“I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.”

“You never like the way anyone looks at me.”

“That’s a lie.”

“That’s a denial.”

“And I’m going home,” Bryan sighed, kicking the rest of his drink back. “I’m old and have to film tomorrow.” Bryan clapped his buddy on the back with a smile. “See ya in a few weeks BQ. Don’t kill yourself while you’re gone.”

“I’ll do my best,” Brian chuckled, returning the smile with his own.

“And you,” Bryan turned to the young woman who was receiving her third glass. Cece looked up at him, big green eyes blinking innocently as her alcohol swirled in her glass. “Don’t drink too much. He’ll come around.”

“Who ya talkin’ about?”

“Both of ‘em,” Bryan said, causing Cece to laugh, wide smile lighting up her face. Bryan could feel the anxious shift of his podcast buddy behind him and swooped in to Cece’s side. “Don’t have too much fun tonight, yeah?”

“I’ll do what I can,” Cece beamed at him before leaning in to kiss his cheek.

“Your fun is never wrong,” Bryan tapped her nose with his large finger before winking. “See ya Monday girly.”

“See ya Big Man.” Cece watched Bryan’s form vanish into the crowd before turning back to the bartender who was watching Cece carefully. “Round of B-52s for the crew. On Quinn’s tab.”

“Hey,” Brian screwed his face up at her, slight anger ebbing into his voice. “The hell?”

*“You should be buying me more than just shots,” Cece glared over at her friend.

“Because I was trying to protect you?”

“Because you were shooting daggers at the man that I happened to find very handsome and a very good dancer. Why do you always do this?” she sighed, tossing her hands up in frustration.

“I don’t always do this,” Brian protested.

“Every time we go out together, if someone even glances my way, you’re shooing them away before I can even get their number.”

“That guy looked like a tool.”

“You didn’t even speak to him!”

“I don’t have to speak to someone to know when they aren’t right for you,” Brian slammed his glass on the counter, the liquid sloshing around in his glass. “I know you well enough by now to know who isn’t good for you.”

“How much have you had to drink?” Cece felt her voice rising as she jabbed Brian in the chest with her finger. “How intoxicated do you have to be to think that you can decide who’s good for me?”

“I’m your friend, isn’t that enough?” Brian crossed his arms in a defensive position. “And why does it matter how much I’ve had to drink?”

“Wonderful,” Cece rolled her eyes. “You’re drunk. Now I’m going to have to lug your ass home.” She turned to the bartender, away from Brian’s incoming anger. “Send the drinks up to our table please.” When she got the nod from the young man, she stomped away from Brian. Brian spun around, the world going slightly funny as he did so. He shook his head to clear it as he chased after Cece.

“Why do you assume you have to take me home?” Brian yelled at Cece as he followed her, his voice barely carrying over the music.

“I promised your Capitan that I’d have you there in one piece tomorrow,” Cece tossed over her shoulder. “I keep my word.”

“You don’t have to hover over me, you know,” Brian spat at her angrily as they made their way into a quieter hallway that led towards the bathrooms. “I can take care of myself.”

“Oh, that is rich coming from you,” Cece spun around, eyes so full of fire that it made Brian’s steps stutter.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that you have no right to interfere with my personal life if you’re telling me to back off from yours.”

“I’m not telling you to back off,” Brian groaned, rubbing his face with his hands as he paused to let a gaggle of girls swarm to the bathrooms. “I’m just saying that you don’t have to worry about me.”

“I always worry about you Brian,” Cece shook her head.

“But I can’t worry about you dancing with some clown?”

“He’s not a clown,” Cece growled, voice low. “He’s happens to be a very nice man who is a high-end editor in Manhattan.”

“Oh please,” Brian rolled his eyes. “That basically means he’s a lackey for some guy who is really in charge. What do you want with an editor anyway?”

“Maybe I’m looking for a change of pace,” Cece glared, hands on her hips. “Maybe instead of running around with lawyers and doctors and save the world types, I want to find someone who has time for me and has the ability to see me.”

“You’d be so bored with him and you know it,” Brian gestured wildly towards the dance floor. “Someone who has done as much as you have would be bored with someone like that.”

“You would know. All you ever take home is blond girls with IQs lower than 100 who only dream of getting rich and famous.”

“That is not true,” Brian shook his head, grinding his teeth together.

“Right,” Cece said, challenge and smugness written on her face. “Name the last time you chased after a girl who was as smart as you. A girl who could keep up with your fireman’s bravado and your comedian humor. Name the last time that you kissed a girl who checked off all of the girlfriend boxes. Not even that, name the last time you even wanted a girl that you’ve known for longer than three drinks and that you could safely say is someone you could do more than just fuck and toss.” Cece partially smirked as she watched Brian’s fists clench and his face turn stony. She had aimed below the belt and she knew it, hell Brian most certainly knew it, but she was pissed and had liked Liam. She was sick and tired of Brian throwing himself in the way of her potential dates and hook-ups, and she was absolutely fighting dirty.

“Fuck you,” Brian hissed through his teeth. Cece let a laugh bubble from her chest and ring around them, rolling her eyes as she moved towards the bathroom.

“That’s what I-”

Cece’s sentence was cut short by a harsh yank and a pair of lips crashing into hers. Her eyes flew open at the touch of hands on either side of her face, wide enough to catch a glimpse of scruff, salt-and-pepper hair, and red. The color blossomed in her stomach as she stood, stock straight, stunned that Brian’s lips were on hers. She felt his bravery deflate when she didn’t kiss back and he began to pull away from her. Cece’s hand wrapped around Brian’s neck and yanked his lips back down to hers before he could even fully pull away to meet her eyes. His hands dove to her waist as she carded her fingers through his hair, an abrupt shove sending her back crashing into the wall as Brian lips molded to hers again.

He tasted like Jameson, lime, and a hint of cinnamon; but there was something on his lips that Cece always equated with Brian. A taste that she had only smelled when she leaned into him while they watched movies or hugged him for longer than a passing moment or when she sunk into his couch at his apartment. It was subtle, but it was something she had longed for over the years. Brian’s hands clutched at her, large and calloused palms pressing into the exposed skin of her back as the pads of his fingers pressed into her spine as if trying to read braille. The feel of his hands on her skin had enough of a driving force that Cece tilted her head and tugged on the silky strands beneath her fingers, using the slight moan that it drew from Brian’s lips to deepen the kiss.

Brian enthusiastically plundered her mouth, barely pulling away to let them get some air. She could feel a smile beginning to tug on her lips as happiness filled her, all the way to her fingers that had begun to grip that vast expanse of his back. Brian’s breath hitched as her nails dug into his shoulders. He responded by moving one of his hands up from her waist to grip the side of her face, pinning her to the wall with his lips on hers and his elbow pressed onto her shoulder. He slotted one of his legs in between her thighs, shifting his other hand on her back so his pinky could run just into her jeans.

“Get a room!” The high-pitched voice was accompanied by a shove that knocked Brian off balance, his hands flinging out to catch himself on the wall that Cece was pinned to. Her hands flew to his arms and she ducked out from underneath the cage of his arms to glare and flip off the direction of the voice. By the time that Cece turned back to Brian, he had lowered his arms and backed away.

“What have I done?” Cece’s hand froze in its path to yank Brian back to her. He had said it so softly that she would have missed it if she hadn’t been staring at his lips. Her eyes flew up to meet his. Wide with fear, Brian was staring down at Cece and backing away until his back hit the wall opposite her.

“Bri?” Cece asked, cursing herself as her voice wavered.

“I shouldn’t have done that.” Cece’s heart plummeted. “I’m…so sorry. I didn’t mean…it meant nothing. I shouldn’t…” Cece watched as Brian rubbed his face with his hands, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes as if he wanted to scrub out the memory. “I’m so sorry.” He vanished from in front of her, ducking into the doorway at the end of the hall that was labeled _MEN._

Cece stared at the door for a half a moment, unable to believe Brian’s sudden fleeing. She exhaled, the breath leaving her body shakily as she turned back to stare at the wall. She stood for a moment, contemplating the last few minutes and whether or not to wait for Brian when his voice echoed into her head. _It meant nothing…it meant nothing…it meant nothing…_ She could feel tears begin to seize up in her eyes and she bolted.

As she raced up the stairs, she kept her eyes down and by doing so, missed Sal staring at her from several feet away. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape. He looked back to the bathroom then back up to Cece’s retreating form. He squared his shoulders, narrowed his eyes, and marched for the door. As Sal entered the bathroom, Cece’s form flew by the hallway entrance, her jacket and purse in hand. Bessy and Murray’s forms chased after her, but all of the bodies missed seeing a tall, dark figured facing the hallway. The figure turned his head, watching Cece run by and then moved, paralleling her footsteps to the door and out into the raging night.

 

 

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**Had way too much to drink…What happened last night?** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**Last I remember you were off dancing.** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**Cece, I can see you’ve read my texts.** _

_To: Dr. Awesome_

_From: Comic Quinn_

_**I’m about to walk into the station. I guess I’ll see you in three weeks?** _

_To: Comic Quinn_

_From: Dr. Awesome_

_**Not much to tell honestly. Went home early cause I wasn’t feeling well. Was working on stuff, my bad. Tell Cap I warned you about the dangers of alcohol.** _

_To: Comic Quinn_

_From: Dr. Awesome_

_**See you in three weeks** _


	5. The Return and the Green Berets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. I have no excuses for being so far behind on this. Work and Holidays and stuff got the better of me. Hopefully, now that it's all chilled out, I'll be better about it.

Brian took a step out into the frigid October air. The crisp, leaves crunched under his feet as he shuffled away from the station door and into the blinding sunlight that streamed down onto him. He took a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of the cool air that seeped into his lungs. It was a welcome change from the smoke smell that had surrounded him for the past three weeks. As much as he enjoyed his time at the firehouse and with his colleagues, three intense weeks of lifting, carrying, running, and non-stop drills was exhausting. He had missed the jokes of his friends, his seat on the podcast, and Cece.

Brian shook his head, tugging his duffle bag further up onto his shoulder as he stepped out towards the curb in front of the firehouse. Cece had run through his head over and over again during the past few weeks. The lie he had texted her the morning he left for the firehouse had eaten away at him. She had plagued his dreams at night, popping up every night without fail. His fingers itched every day as if they were craving to touch the curves and dips of her skin. He woke up in a sweat most nights and found that cold showers were his new best friend.

“You look like shit.” Brian’s eyes jerked up to find Sal leaning against the red Jeep that matched the color of the firehouse.

“Thanks.”

“Rough time?” Sal said, not moving from his place in front of the driver’s door.

“I’ve had worse.”

“Well this is the first time I’ve seen you come away from this shit several pounds lighter.”

“What are you doing here?” Brian sighed, yanking the backseat door open so he could toss his bag into the backseat.

“We got called in for filming today,” Sal stared at his best friend from behind his dark rimmed glasses. “I can assume that you haven’t checked your phone then.”

“Wasn’t my first priority,” Brian shrugged.

“So you’re gonna go with avoidance, then? Do you really think that avoiding everything is the best way to go about things? Especially after you sent that text?”

“How do you know about that text?” Brian asked, his face stunned and unexpecting.

“She told Murray last week.”

“Why would she tell Murray?”

“Get in and take us to Marco’s Bakery and I’ll fill you in,” Sal said, jamming his thumb into the side of the Jeep. “Might want to look at your phone first. It might start piecing things together.”

As Sal walked around to the passenger side of the door, Brian slid into the driver’s seat and pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket. Texts from Mom, BJ, Sal, Murray, Joe, WF, Ming, Declan, and…Cece. Quickly typing out a text to confirm with his mom that, _yes, he’ll be over for supper tomorrow_ , he flipped to Bryan’s texts. The one that greeted him stopped his heart. It was a photo; Cece, sitting in his usual recording chair, hair loose around her face and staring at something across the table to her left. There was a smile on her face, relaxed and natural, as she looked on at something that Brian could only assume Walt was doing to make her feel at home. The text underneath it read: _Figured you’d appreciate this shot of your girl_. As he scrolled up, he glanced at other photos and texts from Bryan, showing her off in his chair and saying how amazing she was. Walt and Ming’s texts contained more pictures and admirations; even Declan had texted him just to tell him that she was a natural behind the mic and complimented out the craziness of Walt and Bryan. The last text, sent early this morning, promised him the uncut versions of the episodes in the Dropbox so that he could hear everything from front to back.

He clicked backwards to stare at the four names with messages unread and sighed. His finger briefly hovered over Cece’s before clicking on Murray’s. _You’re an idiot._ and _She’s here in tears._ and _I’ve never seen her this drunk before…you fucked up._ and _I haven’t seen her in over a week._ and _You better fix this._ all blinked up at him over the span of the first two weeks, beginning the Tuesday after he left. He backtracked quickly to Joe’s and was surprised by the one message that was left to him: _James just told me why we haven’t seen or heard from Cece in the past 12 days. I swear to God, Brian…if you broke her and she quits, you’re off the fucking show._

“What the fuck?” Brian looked to Sal. Sal was picking at his nails, but stopped when Brian’s voice echoed around the small space.

“What?” Brian showed Sal the text, only to be met with a slight chuckle and a smile. “He told me he was harsh. Didn’t think he’d go that far though.”

“So Joe knows too,” Brain tossed his phone into the cup holder violently. “Wonderful. Is there anyone who doesn’t know?”

“No one else knows.” Sal let Brian gun the Jeep and drive in silence for a few minutes before speaking again. “Are you even going to read my texts? Or hers?”

“I’d rather have the Cliff Notes version since you’re right here.” Sal sighed at Brian’s clipped voice before nodding.

“Alright. Here’s what happened: When I was in the bathroom with you, trying to convince you that kissing Cece was _absolutely_ the right thing to do, Bessy and Murr were trying to chase her down and keep her from hailing a cab. Bessy didn’t make it out of the club, but Murray did. Cece told him that she didn’t mean to make any mistakes or to jeopardize our show in any way or to make you feel uncomfortable. She left.”

“Which is why Murray kept looking at me awkwardly the rest of the night.”

“He’s not subtle. We know that,” Sal rolled his eyes. “The next morning, you were gone and Murr went to Cece’s place to see if she would talk to him. She wouldn’t. So they just hung out and watched movies. Flash forward to Tuesday. She comes knocking on his door around eleven and is blasted out of her mind.”

“She got drunk on a Tuesday?”

“She told him everything. Right there in the hallway of his building. Told him that you kissed her and that she kissed you and more.”

“More?”

“She’s so drunk,” Sal continued, ignoring Brian’s question. “that Murr calls me because he doesn’t know what to do with a crying, drunk Cece. So I go over there and try to get her to calm down enough for her to explain things to me. And as soon as she sees me, she clams up. Says nothing. Said that she just had a rough day at work. And she knows that we weren’t with her so we can’t say whether or not that’s true.”

“Did she?”

“I didn’t ask,” Sal sighed, propping his face up on his hand. “Figured I should keep it quiet. So I did. Didn’t ask anyone else. She found me the next night. She found the guy from the club. Lance? Larkin?”

“Liam,” Brian growled.

“That’s it. Apparently, she went back there and he was there, looking for her. They had a few drinks and he gave her his number, with a promise to call him later on. She got wasted. Walked to my place from there.”

“She walked? At night?”

“Yeah. Rings my doorbell at midnight, worse off than the night before. And she tells me everything. I already knew most of it. But she was bad. The worst I’ve ever seen her. The next morning, she was gone. I found her at her desk the next morning as if nothing was wrong. Laughing with Jeremy and talking about lunch plans.”

“How did Joe find out?”

“She vanished,” Sal murmured, going back to pick at his nails. “Called in sick the next day. And the next. And the next. She answered our texts the first couple of times. By Sunday she’d stopped answering them. We were told that she took a week of vacation the following week. We didn’t hear from her. We called, knocked, begged, everything.” Sal’s voice trailed off and he stared out the passenger side window. “In the past five years, I’ve never gone so long without seeing her. And then she just vanished. She showed up to do the podcast. Have you heard it yet?”

“Not yet,” Brian answered, sullenly.

“She’s good,” Sal smiled, finally looking over to his best friend. “You’ll enjoy it.”

“Have you seen her?” Brian asked after a long minute of silence as he drove towards the bakery. “Since she took the vacation days, I mean.”

“I saw her yesterday for the first time in almost two weeks.”

“And?”

“And what, Brian?” Sal narrowed his eyes. “How is she? Is she as hot as you remember?”

“Don’t start,” Brian shook his head.

“I thought we had lost her, dude!” Sal exclaimed. “You might be head-over-heels for her, but you better damn well remember that she’s my friend too. All of us. She’s like a sister to me. I can’t just have her vanish like that. If she left, I…” Sal trailed off, gulping air loudly and turning to stare out the window. Brian waited for Sal to continue, but he said nothing. They both left the silence to hang in the air for another few minutes until they pulled up to the parking lot of the bakery. When Brian slid the Jeep into park, Sal snagged his wrist. “You fucked this up. You fucking fix it.”

“Sal, I-” Brian’s words were cut off by Sal opening his door violently.

“C’mon. I don’t want to talk about this until you’ve fixed it.”

Brian flinched at the sound of the slamming door. He cursed himself and leaned back against the seat. He let himself breathe for a moment before pulling his phone out. He sighed and stared at the two names that had messages unread. He clicked on Sal’s. It confirmed everything that his best friend had said, except in more panicked texts, most of them rapidly fired off over the past few weeks. He swiped back and his finger hovered over Cece’s name. Before he could click READ, Sal rapped on the window. He jerked his thumb towards the building and Brian glared, but hopped out of the truck.

The Staten Island air felt damp, almost like an impending rain or snow, as they traversed the parking lot and ducked in through the back door. Crew members were milling about in the back-store room, continuing to set up different pieces of equipment. Most of them waved and acknowledged Brian as he followed Sal to the front of the store. As Sal pushed the curtain aside, they were met with Peter’s back leaning on the counter, facing Joe and Murray. Murray saw him first, and his friend’s face lit up slightly before turning concerned; Joe was less enthusiastic at his approach, taking to cross his arms and glare across the counter. Peter swept Brian up into a hug, blissfully unaware of the tension in the room. Brian felt Sal move away from him as Peter questioned him about his time away, Murray joining in with fake interest.

It was a full minute of answering questions when he got his first glimpse of Cece. He wouldn’t have even looked away from Peter if it wasn’t for the crash that echoed across the room. The four at the counter whipped their heads to the front entrance, where they saw one of their hidden camera men on the ground, chair tipped over next to him and the camera dangling dangerously from above the door. Brian saw, out of the corner of his eye, the built form of Cece spring up from her position in the corner of the brick building and race towards him.

Time moved slower. The seconds felt like a full minute. Cece was out of her chair and flying to the door, backpack in hand. Her hair whipped around her face as Brian watched her bark out orders to Sal, who followed them without question. She moved her head enough to meet Brian’s eyes, and for a moment, he felt like things were okay; she was going to have him by her side to help and life would move on as normal. Brian felt his body move as Cece tore her eyes away. She pointed at Murray who was already on his way out around the counter, to her. Time skidded into place as Murray rushed around him and Sal vanished into the back room. Brian blinked, stunned at being replaced. Peter had followed Murray to Cece’s side, but Joe stayed behind the counter, hands folded on top of the glass and staring at Brian.

“Welcome back to the chaos,” Joe said in a low voice.

“Why did…why’s Murr-?”

“She gave him first aid training while you were gone,” Joe interrupted his friend’s stuttering. “One of the last things she did before she went on vacation.” Brian shifted at the malice that Joe put into the word vacation, but didn’t turn his eyes away from the scene unfolding in front of the door. Sal shoved by him with the red EMERGENCY bag and landed next to Cece and Murray. “You fucked up Quinn.”

“Joe,” Brian glared over at his friend to find him glaring back.

“Don’t even start.”

“She shouldn’t have told you.”

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“It is my business when it affects the show.”

“It isn’t affecting anything. She’s still here ain’t she?”

“Yeah. But for a minute she almost wasn’t. You better talk to her.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Yeah, well I don’t think you really have a choice in the matter,” Joe said, dusting his hands on his apron and going to the end of the counter to inspect the damages. Brian inhaled slowly, feeling the lingering scent of smoke singe his lungs; even that didn’t compare to the burn he felt in his chest when he looked over at Cece.

 

 

 

“Thanks Mike. Yep. Bye.” Cece slid her phone into her pocket and turned back to the group that was gathered around the Director’s tent. “Mike confirmed that the NYPD is running some drills around here today. If you see more police around than usual, don’t get freaked out.”

“Why are they running drills?” Sal asked, sipping the water in his hands.

“I’m not on the force so I’m not allowed to know that,” Cece shrugged. “Just, if things get weird or I feel uncomfortable with the situation, I’ll say ‘penguin’ over the headsets.”

“Penguin?” Joe chuckled. “Why penguin?”

“I’m used to that code word,” she shrugged. “We used it back in Iraq so I’m used to it.” Cece turned to Peter and began chatting with him about specifics and the camera man who had fallen this morning. The four Jokers took that as their cue to head out to their location under their own tent.

“Rochambeau on who goes first?” Murray asked them as they made their way out of the protected and gated area.

“Sure,” Brian held out his fist onto his hand.

“I think Brian should go first,” Joe said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

“Why are you being such a dick today?” Brian growled, glaring across the line.

“Why did you kiss Cece and run away?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“When you jeopardize the show and one of our employees it is.”

“Please don’t do this right now guys,” Sal said, holding his hands out in an attempt to calm them both. “Let’s just get through this shoot and then you guys can fight.”

“How about I go first?” Murray said, attempting to diffuse the situation.

“Fine,” Brian rolled his eyes. “I’ll be over at the stand.” The remaining three watched Brian walk away and Sal glared at Joe.

“Seriously dude.”

“What?” Joe shrugged. “He was a dick.”

“You’re not helping.”

“Nothing that is happening is helping. Might as well just make him suffer for a bit until they talk it out.”

“You’re a dick.”

“Not as much as he is.”

 

Murray sighed from his position on the bench, glancing around at the people that were milling about. They hadn’t managed to find someone who was willing to play along yet and Murray could feel the bits of anxiety prickling his skin. Murray nodded at the tall man who slid onto the bench next to him, bundled up in a trench coat against the Fall wind. Murray could hear muffled talking in his ear piece, but he couldn’t really pick out the words that were being said or the voices that we talking. Murray shifted, sliding the coffee cup over to his left hand, nearer to the new bench buddy. When he could hear voices in his ear, he knew that this was probably the guy that they wanted him to try for.

“Beautiful day, huh?”

“Very,” the deep bass voice reverberated across the bench. “Fall is my favorite time of year.”

“Oh yeah?” Murray turned fully to the man. “Why is that?”

“It’s just a nice time of year. The weather is cooler and people are always out and about.”

“Keep him talking Mur,” Cece’s voice came over his earpiece. Murray blinked, taken aback by Cece’s voice.

“Okay,” Murray said, both acknowledging Cece’s command and the man’s words. “I like Spring better though. Things are blooming and life is all beginning again, you know?”

“I see what you’re saying,” the man said, tugging on his long beard. “But you’re wrong.”

“Oh really?” Murray blinked. “I see.”

“Things die in the Spring too,” the man said, fidgeting. “Certain plants only do well in the cold weather. And statistically speaking more relationships end in the spring.”

“Really? Where did you read that?”

“Just some study I read. I also speak from personal experience.”

“Murray, you alright?”

“Uh huh?” Murray nodded, unsure about what was happening.

“My last girlfriend broke up with me several springs ago. She was perfect. I wanted to marry her. I still want to marry her.”

“Penguin James,” Cece’s voice echoed in his head. It took a few moments for the hardness of her voice to register in Murray’s head, but when it did, he felt his face pale.

“She’s everything you want in a woman. I think about her all the time. I haven’t seen her in so long, but I’m gonna see her soon.”

“One sec,” Murray put his finger up and pulled out his phone. “Yeah. Oh, you’re on the other side? Okay. I’ll be there soon.” Murray turned to the man and nodded. “My friend is on the other side of the park. We got our places mixed up. It was nice talking to you.”

“It was nice talking to you as well,” the man stood up with Murray and watched as he passed him by. “Oh, by the way James?” Murray froze and turned back around to the man. “When you see her, be sure to tell my beautiful flower that I’ll see her soon.”

“How do you know my name?”

“I know everything about you,” the man said. Murray was vaguely aware of his friend’s voices in his ear and Cece’s voice ringing out over all of them. “I know everything about anyone who knows my future wife.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Murray said, his voice barely a whisper.

“Of course you do. She was at your apartment drunk a few weeks ago.” Murray felt his heart drop into his stomach and it was quickly followed by a crash and sounds of shouting. Before Murray could turn around to see where the commotion was coming from, the man rushed forward and pulled Murray close. “Tell Cecelia Mercury that she can’t run from me anymore. I’m coming for what is mine.” The man spun Murray around to be met with a cluster of armed men rushing towards him. His eyes instantly locked on the person in the center of the cluster; Cece, armed, in a flak jacket and army helmet was rushing towards him. She was barking orders at the men around her who split off on either side of him as Cece pushed into his personal space, spinning him behind her protectively.

“He’s gone ma’am,” one of the men in front called out as the guns around him swept back and forth.

“Find him,” Cece growled out, her voice hard and commanding. Several of the men in front moved forward, accompanied by policemen who had swarmed in out of nowhere.

“Cece?” Murray asked, his voice shaking.

“We need to get Mr. Murray to the vehicle,” Cece said, motioning to the men who had surrounded Murray. “Cory, what’s your status?”

“We got the others,” a voice crackled over the walkie-talkie that was strapped to the shoulder of Cece. “They’re refusing to get into the car until you’re with them.”

“Tell them I said for them to get in.”

“We did ma’am. They’re still refusing.”

“Cece?”

“Dammit Lieutenant,” Cece’s voice cracked as she ignored Murray. “I want them in that vehicle.” There was a pause before the man’s voice came back.

“They said…and this is their phrasing Lieutenant Mercury…that they won’t go to any fucking car until you’re there with them. And that you have no jurisdiction over them. Ma’am.” Murray watched as Cece cracked her neck and sighed, her hand wrapped around to grasp the firearm that was at her back.

“Looks like we’re going back.” She turned around and motioned for the rest of the men around Murray to do the same. “Formation Delta. Protect and escape. Be on guard. We don’t know where he is.”

“Cece!” Murray shouted, causing every member of the squadron to spin around and for Cece’s gun to fling up to her shoulder and scan the area.

“What did you see? Where is he?”

“Look at me.” Cece turned, expecting to find the worst. Murray stood before her, hands at his side, eyes brimmed with confusion and worry.

“What is it James?”

“What’s happening?” he said, his voice trembling as he reached his hand out toward her.

“Not here,” she said, taking a step backwards and away from his hand. A flash of hurt crossed his face. Cece felt her Army façade fade and tried to soften her face. “I’ll explain everything in the car.” Murray nodded and Cece stepped around him, taking his hand as she did so. “Hold on to my shoulder. Don’t let go unless I go down. Then grab on to Corporal Reed here.”

“We’ll get you to safety Mr. Murray,” the man next to Cece nodded to him. Murray nodded back, unsure of what else to do. Cece maneuvered Murray’s hand onto her shoulder and glanced back at him.

“Ready?” Murray nodded. “Move out.” She set off at a brisk jog, with her weapon scanning the empty space ahead of them. Murray was pushed after her by one of the men who stepped up behind him. He couldn’t see much but the browns and greens of Army uniforms until they broke through the makeshift barrier that separated the guys’ film location from the rest of the park. Murray was stunned to see that a secondary wall had been created by other army members who sprang into salute when Cece appeared. “Easy gentlemen.” As the soldiers around the relaxed, Sal burst forward towards them.

“Cece! What’s happening? Who was that guy?”

“Are you okay Murr?” Joe’s voice rang out as he stepped up next to his frantic friend.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Murray blinked.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Cece said, gesturing Murray to the others. “Right now we want to get you out of here. Go with 2nd Lieutenant Lee and he’ll-”

“We ain’t going anywhere without you,” Brian’s voice came from behind Sal. “You’re coming with.”

“I have to stay here. I have to find-”

“Then we’re staying here too.”

“Why are you being like this?” Cece growled, stepping towards the line as Brian stepped through it. “Why won’t you follow my orders?”

“We’re not soldiers. We don’t follow orders.”

“You’re a fireman. You follow orders. Follow mine.”

“You’re not my captain.”

“I’m a higher rank that your captain,” Cece spit. “Do what I tell you.” Brian’s nostrils flared as Sal, Joe, and Murray looked back and forth between them.

“No.”

“I’m trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need you to protect me.”

“In this case, you do.” Cece straightened up, attempting to meet Brian’s height. “You don’t know this asshole like I do.”

“We don’t even know what’s going on!” Brian barked out a laugh. “We were just filming and then suddenly there were army people everywhere and you were rushing out there like you were infiltrating Al-Qaeda!”

“If only it was that easy in Iraq,” the man Cece had identified as Lieutenant Lee chuckled.

“No one got away from us in Iraq though,” Cece smirked, slinging one hand onto her vest and one remaining on her gun.

“We’ll find him. No one can run from us forever.”

“He’s done well so far and that’s concerning.”

“Who is he?” Sal’s voice piped up.

“It’s complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it,” Brian glared. “He was sitting right next to Murray.”

“He grabbed Murray,” Joe crossed his arms.

“What did he say to you?” Lieutenant Lee asked, his imposing figure making Murray look even tinier than usual.

“He was talking about Cece.” Cece ignored the looks from Brian and Sal and focused on Murray. “He…do you know him?”

“What did he say Murray?” Cece pressed.

“He called you his beautiful flower,” Murray said, rubbing his hands over his face. “He said ‘tell my beautiful flower that I’ll see her soon’.”

“Well that could be anyone,” Brian crossed his arms, face unimpressed.

“He knew my name,” Murray whispered, hands falling away from his face. “He knew you were at my apartment a few weeks ago. He called you his future wife.”

“You take a lot of girls home Murr,” Brian waved his hand. “Doesn’t mean it’s-”

“He said to tell you that you couldn’t run from him anymore.” Cece felt her face shift in tandem with her heart dropping. The entire small group around her could see it. It was enough of a shift that Brian stood straighter, Sal’s face looked panicked, and that Joe uncrossed his arms.

“What were his exact words?” Lieutenant Lee asked, stepping in closer.

“He said ‘Tell Cecelia Mercury that she can’t run from me anymore. I’m coming for what is mine’.” There was a ringing silence that echoed across them before Lieutenant Lee turned and gripped Cece’s upper arm.

“We’re getting you out of here.”

“Cory, no,” Cece yanked, attempting to free herself from his grip.

“This isn’t up for debate.”

“As your commanding officer, I-”

“As your second, it is my job to protect you,” Lieutenant Lee spun to be nose to nose with her. “I’m your right-hand man and in Iraq, you promised me that you would keep me safe and get me home. I took the same promise for you. I’m getting you safe. Caleb won’t get to you. That’s a promise from your second.” They stared at each other for a moment before Brian broke the silence.

“Who’s Caleb?”

“That’s a story for when we reach the station,” Lieutenant Lee said, after receiving a nod from Cece.

“Let’s go.”

“We aren’t going anywhere until-”

“Brian Quinn, you are all coming with me and I will explain everything to you when we get to the station.”

“But you-”

“I am in no mood for your shit. As your commander, get your ass in the car.” Cece’s voice dropped low and the gravely hiss of her voice made Brian’s eyes go wide. He blinked, unable to distinguish whether he was aroused or frightened. He decided to just nod and move out of the way. Sal fell into step next to Brian as they trailed behind Cece and the man she had called Cory. Sal opened his mouth to respond but Brian just shook his head and continued moving.

Cece and Cory ducked out of the tent, flanked by several members of the men who had been standing guard around the Jokers. As she moved, it struck Sal that she seemed older in this environment. She moved with an air of authority, barking orders to the men over the walkie-talkie, head held high as her Second Lieutenant directed the convoy towards the black, tinted SUV that was waiting in the road. Sal always knew that she held some form of rank from her years of service, but he had never imagined this. He couldn’t conjoin the two Cece’s in his mind: the fun-loving, coffee addicted, young woman who always took care of them and the strong-willed, muscled commander who barked orders left and right.

Flashes went off and Sal’s eyes caught sight of camera men and paparazzi snapping pictures. If Cece noticed them, she didn’t acknowledge them as she stepped into the vehicle, Brian following shortly afterwards. When all four Jokers had piled into the car, Cece and Sal sitting with their backs to the front of the car and Brian, Joe, and Murray facing them, Lieutenant Lee snapped the door shut and climbed into the passenger seat. Cece unclipped her helmet and pulled it off her head, rumpling her hair with her fingers as she placed the helmet in her lap.

“So.”

“So?” Cece looked across the seat to Brian.

“Who’s Caleb?”

“Brian, I really don’t want to discuss this now.”

“They’re in it now Cece,” Cory sighed, his own helmet now removed. “You better fill them in.”

“It’s a really long story,” Cece protested.

“Good thing it’s a really long drive to the station,” Cory smirked, returning to face forward. Cece sighed and played with the insignia on her helmet.

“You don’t have to tell us anything,” Sal said gently, reaching across the seat and taking her hand.

“Cory’s right,” Cece said with a firm nod of her head. “I need to tell you.” She looked up and met Brian’s eyes; for the first time, Brian saw fear etched in them. It was unexpected, seeing those strong green eyes tinged with fear around the edges.

“What is it?” Joe asked, seeing the fear there as well.

“To explain everything, I have to start twelve years ago, just after West Point. Because right after I graduate was when I met Caleb Major. The man who assaulted me and followed me. My stalker.”


	6. Flashbacks and Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a terrible updater and I'm not military. Any mistakes are my own.

**United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, 2004**

"There you are, my darling!"

"Mom. Stop."

A dark-haired woman gripped the shoulders of a young Cecelia, pulling her into a full embrace. "I'm your mom, darling. I'm allowed to be proud of you."

"She's right. Not everyone graduates West Point at the age of 20."

"Thanks Dad," Cece rubbed the back of her neck as her mom released her from her hold.

"I need to go see Guden. I'll be right back." Cece watched her father walk away and her eyes caught sight of her group of friends.

"Can I go-"

"Of course. I see Tracy over there anyway." The manicured hand patted the slender cheek of her daughter before pulling away. Cece's graduation robes billowed around legs as she spun around and walked purposefully towards the group of four that was leaning against the base of the Washington Statue.

"There's the pride of the Mercury family."

"Shut up Cory," Cece rolled her eyes at the taller young man at the center of the group. "Have you gotten your letters yet?"

"I'm with you in Africa. You know they can't split up the top two," Cory winked at her.

"Man, I wish I could've gotten stationed there. They're sending me to Kansas."

"Fort Leavenworth is nicer than Fort Buckner," the female standing next to the shortest man of the group. "They're sending us there in three weeks."

"Well they can't exactly split us up Lucy. We're married," the short man smirked.

"But still," Lucy whined. "Okinawa? Seriously? We're going to have to deal with those Navy assholes for three years. Three years, Mike. That's a long time."

"What have I married?"

"Women are fickle Mike," the man who was going to Kansas grinned across the way.

"Thanks Josh," Cece rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "So. Kansas, Japan, and Africa. We've practically got the whole world covered."

"The world is safer in our hands now," Mike grinned. He turned serious a moment later. "You guys stay safe, alright? You guys are way too near everything for my taste."

"We'll be fine," Cece smiled reassuringly. "What could possibly go wrong?

 

 

Six months later, Cory and Cece were sprinting through the grounds of West Point, finishing up their Basic Officer Leader Course. Their lungs were burning as they rounded the corner of the Cemetery and made their way down Washington Road until they reached the statue of the First President himself. Cece slowed to a jog as Cory groaned, sliding to the ground in front of the statue, having arrived moments before his friend.

"Oww," Cory winced, flexing and pointing his toes listening to his ankles crack. "I hate you."

"No you don't." Cece exhaled, her hands on her knees. "You need this."

"Shut up." There was a long, ringing silence that the pair let encompass them before Cece stood up and moved. "I heard some rather interesting information during training today," Cory said from the ground as Cece slid into place next to him.

"You always hear interesting information," Cece rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"You won't like it."

"I never like it."

"Caleb Major is going to Africa."

"Shut the fuck up," Cece's head whipped to Cory, her tight bun jiggling in a dangerous way.

"Not in Kenya, but at Le Monier." Cece shook her head, chewing her lip. "I don't like it either."

"He hasn't asked you out twelve times in the past six months."

"Definitely a persistent mother fucker," Cory shook his head with a disapproving sigh.

"You could say that again."

"Definitely a persistent mother fucker." Cece laughed openly, her bun knocking against the base of the tree they were leaning against.

"Hey there." Cece's laughter stopped and Cory scrambled up to his full height.

"Caleb," Cory crossed his arms and nodded tightly.

"At ease buddy," Caleb chuckled, waving his hands in mock surrender. "Just saw you guys and wanted to say hi."

"Well Hi," Cory said, lips tight. "We're gonna go for a run."

"You look like you just got back from one," Caleb turned his gaze onto Cece who was still sitting on the ground behind Cory. "You're in such good shape."

"Well we're going again," Cory took a step to his right to block Cece from Caleb's view. "So if you don't mind, we're gonna hit the road."

"I have some awesome news," Caleb took a step to meet Cece's eyes again. Before Cece could even open her mouth, Caleb was tripping over his words. "I'm heading to Africa too! I know you're going to Kenya. I'm not going to Kenya. I wish I was. How cool would that be? Maybe you'd finally stop dodging me since we'd officially be in the same place for a while. Do you think you would?"

"Uhm," Cece's eyes flicked to Cory's tensing fists. "Congratulations on going to Africa. I hope that you do well there."

"Thanks," Caleb welled up with pride. "I'm going to Djibouti, which isn't as cool as Kenya. But it's still close! Right? We'll probably see each other! Don't you think?"

"I...I'm not sure," Cece glanced to Cory, hoping to find some help. "I feel like we'll probably get kept in a few places for a long time."

"Oh," Caleb said, face visibly falling as he shifted uncomfortably. He thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Well I'll make time to come see you! We'll definitely get some time off, right?"

"I doubt it," Cory stepped in, attempting once again to put himself between Cece and Caleb, who had remained staring at her with wide, unblinking eyes. "We'll probably spend a lot of our free time traveling," he continued, holding out his hand for Cece to take before pulling her to her feet. "We've already got some trips planed."

"I love traveling," Caleb's eyes trained back on Cece. "Maybe I can join you guys, Cece?"

"I'm doubt our leaves are going to be at the same time," Cory shook his head. "Even so, we've already bought some tickets and it'd be hard to meet up."

"I was asking Cece," Caleb's eyes finally locked with Cory, his jaw clenching dangerously.

"You'll get the same answer from her," Cory stood up to his full, imposing height. He towered over Caleb, his form fulling sheltering Cece behind him.

"You know I know she's not dating you, right?" Caleb spat, anger beginning to flood his eyes.

"Why does that matter?"

"It means I'm not scared of you," he hissed.

"You sure about that?" Cory took a step forward.

"Cory, no!" Cece's hand latched around Cory's flexing bicep as Caleb fled backwards a step. She leaned in close to him and mumbled under her breath. "Not worth it."

"See?" Caleb pointed with a flailing finger. "Cece cares about me! Cece won't let you hurt me, will you Cece?"

"Back off dude," Cory held his ground, glaring at the person across from him.

"I'm being nice."

"She's not interested. Get over it."

"Only because we won't be in the same place."

"No, because she isn't interested. She can be uninterested in you."

"But she isn't, is she?"

"When you two are done talking about me like I'm not here, we've gotta go on a run," Cece began to pull Cory back the way they came from. "Bye Caleb."

"See you around Cece!" Caleb waved to them as the pair set off at another jogging pace. "Africa here we come!"

"You should've let me hit him," Cory growled, whipping his head around to shoot daggers at Caleb. "That would've forced him off."

"Violence isn't the answer," Cece sighed. "He'll find someone else in Djibouti and I'll be the furthest thing from his mind."

"You better be. I get a weird vibe from him. I don't like him."

"Always protective."

"Sue me for keeping my promise to your crazy ass father," Cory rolled his eyes. "We really aren't running the loop again, are we?"

"You need the miles."

"I hate you so much," Cory groaned.

"No you don't," Cece laughed, the echo tinkling across the trees.

 

 

**Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Base, Lamu, Kenya, 2007**

Cory Lee sprinted through the dusty roads that marked off different locations on the base in Kenya, his shirt discarded back on the basketball court he had abandoned a few brief moments ago. He had significantly bulked up and had grown tanner after spending three years in the African sun. His large boots clomped along, launching him off the dust as he sprinted towards the red building on the outskirts of the base. He thanked his lucky stars that Cece's training had been relentless, even when they had landed in Kenya three years ago; those early morning runs made his anxious sprint much easier.

Bursting through the worn doors, he spun around two servicemen who were coming out of the building. He hollered an apology over his shoulder before turning away from the stench of the emergency room and up the stairs towards the general medicine wing. Leaping up the stairs three at a time, he reached the fourth floor in record time. He tossed the doors open and panted as his feet skidded to a stop in front of the desk. He shot the girl at the front desk a breathless wink. The girl grinned up at him, taking in the sight of him with a leer.

"Well, well," the girl almost purred. "Second Lieutenant Lee. How can I help you?"

"I need...Cece...see her," he gestured as he inhaled deeply.

"You know I can't do that right now." She took another pointed look over his body before leaning forward. "Surely there's something I can help you with."

"Need her," Cory waved his arms around frantically.

"She's with a patient right now," the girl glanced down the hall. It was the only indication of Cece's location that he needed before making a beeline for the door at the end of the hall. "You can't go in there Cory! Cory!!"

Cory's long legs led him through the doors and into the wing where nurses turned to him, shocked and frightened. A murmur ran through them as they saw Cory, but he ignored them as his feet took him back to Cece's office as his feet had taken him there hundreds of times before. He heard several nurses call out his name, but he couldn't be bother to turn his focus away from the door with the number 8 glinting off of it. Cece didn't even flinch as he flung the door open with a bang and neither did the man on the table.

"What did I say about barging into my office, Second Lieutenant?" Cece's voice echoed off the back wall, her long dark hair pulled tightly back against her skull.

"Not to. But-"

"No buts," Cece sighed. One of her tanned, long arms pointed, authoritatively to the chair in the corner. "Sit."

"But this-"

"I'm with a patient, Second Lieutenant," her voice was clipped. "If it wasn't for you being at the scene of the accident, I'd kick you out entirely."

"This is-"

"Cory," Cece spun around, her eyes glinting with professionalism. "Sit down. Now." Cory sighed, grinding his teeth together before stalking over to the chair in the corner and throwing himself down onto it. Cece turned back to the man sitting on the table in front of her and sighed.

"How do I get him to do that?" the man said, shaking with laughter.

"You don't. It's a gift," Cece winked up at him before turning serious again. "You're lucky it's just a sprain," Cece sighed, her fingers gently skating over the swollen and bruised ankle in front of her. "From what I heard, you took quite the tumble."

"Yeah," the deep bass voice grumbled. "I shouldn't've tried to dunk on Tommy. That was such a stupid idea."

"Didn't he play college ball?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," the man grumbled, causing Cece to laugh.

"In any case," she scooted away. "A few pain pills and a brace and some rest will clear this up in no time Max. But you do have to actually stay off of it for at least a week."

"What am I gonna do for a week?" Max whined in his deep voice.

"Maybe you can finally get that intelligence report off your desk," Cece winked as she tossed her gloves into the trash and began pulling out athletic wrap and a brace from a cupboard. "Cory told me you've been sitting on it for almost a week now."

"It's not my fault that the report is taking longer than usual," Max pointed at her. "Cory's a liar."

"I resent that statement," Cory piped up.

"Hush," Cece shook her head at him. "Let me wrap this and I'll write you a script that they can fill out there for you. Okay?"

"A week you said?" Max shook his head.

"And I have to clear you first," Cece said, beginning her work as her hands wrapped the ankle with swift fingers. "I don't want you out in the field running around on this ankle. It'll make you vulnerable."

"Fine." The room fell into silence as Cece continued her work, the circular motion of her hands mesmerizing to the men in the room. She settled the brace into place around the large ankle and fastened it in the proper place before rising and clapping Max's tattooed arm.

"You're all set buddy. Do as I tell you though."

"Yep," Max nodded. "So what's this thing that can't wait Cory?"

"We're about to have company," Cory said, continuing to rub his hands together with nervous movement.

"Be more specific?" Max said, narrowing his eyes as Cece leaned upon the cabinets.

"I just got word from my boss that there's a convoy coming from Djibouti."

"Fuck," Cece dropped her head.

"What?" Max looked between the two long friends. "Why is that a bad thing?"

"We have an old friend-"

"Not a friend," Cory interrupted Cece with a harsh glare.

"An old pursuer."

"The fuck does that mean?" Max rose up, rolling his shoulders threateningly.

"It means that a dude that wouldn't stop asking her out is coming here for three weeks," Cory grumbled. "Fucker can't take no for an answer."

"Well that's not good," Max narrowed his eyes.

"You have no idea," Cory sighed.

 

 

Cory found Cece in the dining hall closest to the medical building as the sun was setting over the African horizon, sun glinting off of the Indian Ocean that surrounded the island they were stationed on. Nodding to some other men from their unit, Cory spotted Cece sitting at a table, alone with her head bent over a book as she stabbed at her tray aimlessly. Cory sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets as his boots clomped against the tile floor. He nodded aimlessly at people waving in his direction, but stayed his course as slid in next to Cece at the table.

"I was wondering where I was gonna find you." Cece nodded, continuing her stabbing. Cory noticed that she hadn't touched most of the food that was on the tray. He looked at the dark covered book in her hands. "What are you reading? Okinawa?" Cece nodded. "Where did you get that?"

"Found it in Dad's office when..." Cece trailed off, shifting and blinking before her stabbing began to grow more violent.

"Cece, I'm-"

"Please don't," she said, her voice breaking slightly. "I don't want...not here. Not now."

"Sorry," Cory said, folding his hands together on the table. "You need to eat," Cory's voice said, with a whisper.

"I'm not hungry."

"Captain said you've lost too much weight."

"Captain can go fuck himself."

"Cece," Cory said with a warning tone.

"What?" she snapped, shoving her tray away from her violently and snapping the thick, old book closed with an angry snap.

"You know what," Cory sighed.

"My parents are dead. Why does everyone expect me to be okay already?"

"We don't expect you to be okay," Cory turned to his friend. "Everyone who has been asking about you has been wanting to help you."

"I don't need help," she said, shortly.

"Fine," he growled, rubbing his forehead. "What do you need?"

"Just...silence. Please? It's going to...it'll just take time."

"Alright." Cory nodded, after a period of silence where he stared at his friend. He scooted closer to her, enough so that their legs were pressed side by side. "Okay. I'm here for you."

 

 

"One of the men from Djibouti has been asking around about you," a tall man in army fatigues said, peering down his fingers at Cece. "Care to tell me what the Lieutenant Major would like with you?"

"Captain Henry, Lieutenant Major knew me while I was in Basic Officer training," Cece said, standing at attention in the tiny office in their units' offices.

"So you were friends then?" Captain Henry asked. Cece hesitated just long enough for the Captain to sit up straight in his chair. "More than?"

"Less than," Cece quickly corrected. "At least on my part. He wanted more. I wanted...none of it."

"Ah," he said with a slow nod. "I see." There was a long pause in which Cece shifted uncomfortably.

"Sir," she said slowly. "Could you tell me why you're asking me this?"

"The unit from Djibouti was looking for a secondary unit to go with them out on drills in the marshes on the mainland. The general chose our unit."

"Oh," Cece said, her voice wavering slightly.

"When I went to meet with Captain Davis, Lieutenant Major was very insistent that I pass on a message to you once he learned that you were in my unit."

"And the message is?" Captain Henry tapped the thick envelope that was sitting on his desk. "Ah."

"If you want me to, I'll remove you from this operation," Captain Henry said, voice calm and level. "It's only been three months since you've gotten back. I can easily say that you're not ready."

"But I am ready," Cece stood taller. "I've been training harder than ever. I ran a mile in 5:06 yesterday. My deadlift is at-"

"Cece," the Captain put his hands up to silence her. "I know that you're able to do it. I've seen your stats recently. I was just offering so that you wouldn't have to deal with this...Lieutenant if you didn't want to." Cece creased her eyebrows together as her commanding officer studied her. "It's up to you. At the very least, have an idea of what you'd like to do when we come together for the briefing at 1900 hours tonight."

"Yes sir," Cece nodded, the slump that had appeared in her shoulders vanishing as she received her order. Her Captain rose from his chair, pushing the letter across his desk to the edge. Cece took it in her hands, purposefully stiffening them in an attempt to keep the shaking from being visible. She saluted Captain Henry and backed towards the door.

"And Lieutenant?" Cece's hand froze on the doorknob.

"Yes sir?"

"Second Lieutenant Lee and Second Lieutenant Richards are aware of the situation. I filled them in this morning. They are under my strict orders to keep tabs on you." Captain Henry's face softened to a look of concern. "I don't like the way that Major was talking about you. Something...didn't seem right to me."

"Thank you, sir," Cece's voice came out softer than she intended.

"You're welcome Cece. If he gives you any trouble, let me know."

"I will Jack."

"Good." Captain Henry's form twisted into a commanding air and nodded. "Dismissed."

Cece's hand tightened on the door and it chased after her as she marched out into the hot African air. The tent that housed the Captains offices was located in the Western quadrant of the base and ducking outside of the flaps, she was momentarily startled by the imposing figures of Cory and Max looming close to the entrance.

"You guys are creepy," she said, with a roll of her eyes, stalking her way back towards the center of the base.

"We're following orders," Max shrugged.

"Captain Henry said keep tabs on me, not stalk me."

"Yeah well it seems like Caleb," Cory spat the name in disgust, "is already doing that to you."

"Keeping tabs on me?"

"Stalking you." Cece ignored Cory and made an abrupt left turn onto Mission Street.

"I have to go to work now."

"We know."

"You're not following me to work Max," Cece glared.

"We have our orders."

"You're taking them a little farther than intended."

"On the contrary," Cory said, his hands clasped behind his back as his long legs kept up with his friend's quick strides. "I think we're following them to the letter. Speaking of letters-"

"Smooth," Cece rolled her eyes as they cut away from the street and began to cross over the grass towards the medical building.

"I'm curious."

"Couldn't tell."

"This is the first time he's actually on base. The first time he's having a letter hand delivered. By the Captain no less."

"You think the guy'd take the hint after almost three years of unanswered letters," Max shook his head.

"How about you not talk about it and go do your jobs?" Cece paused, rounding on them as they reached the back door of the medical building.

"Our orders are to stay with you until the Djibouti unit is gone," Cory said, glancing around.

"Your orders are to keep tabs on me," Cece began before Cory's voice cut her off.

"No, Lieutenant," he straightened. "Captain Henry took us off all normal assignments. We're your shadows now. He doesn't like the feel of this anymore than I do."

"I don't like the sound of him, Cee," Max sighed. "I know you don't want us to babysit you, but will you just let us follow orders? Just let us help you?" Cece grounded her teeth together, her jaw visibly clenching and cracking.

"Fine," she hissed, after a moment of silence. "But don't get in the way of me doing my job."

She stalked into the building, sliding her card easily through the slot next to the door. She nodded to the security man at the back of the building, barely taking notice of whether or not the other two had followed her in. Bounding up the stairs two at a time, she let the letter smack against her fatigues with an echoing thud. When she reached her office, she allowed the door to snap shut behind her, leaving her two shadows to stand guard outside. She sighed, flipping on her computer. She slid her hat off and tucked it on the coat rack that stood by the door; she tried to do anything to distract herself from the letter that was beginning to feeling like it was burning a rectangular shaped hole into her desk. She finally sat down at her desk. She stared at the letter. Flipping open her pocket knife, she sliced the envelope open and began to read.

_My Beautiful Flower,_

_The thought that you and I are finally in the same place after 30 months, two weeks, and four days apart, excites me beyond belief. I know that you are busy still; the lack of letters tells me that. But just knowing that you've walked these streets that my feet are now touching makes me feel more alive than every battle I've seen. What pieces of yourself have you left behind that I'm now consuming? What beams of light have you touched that now touch me?_

_I have dreamt of this day for so long. I wonder what it will be like to see you again. I chase the memory of how you looked, last I saw you. You were standing on the balcony at the Basic Officer's Ball. You looked breath-taking in that emerald gown; it matched your eyes. Even if that fool Lee never left your side, you were still the only thing that I could see. Nothing else in the world existed in that moment but you. I longed to take you in my arms and steal you away into the night._

_One day, my beautiful flower, I will take you in my arms. We will run into the night together and find a spot where no one can reach us. Forget about the orders and the wars and everything else. You and me. Oh, when can I see you? When will you appear in my vision as more than just a ghost of my past and my future? You plague my waking moments and my resting moments._

_I dream of caressing your skin, like a fine silk-_

Cece crumpled the five-page, handwritten letter in her hands before launching it violently into the trashcan, the last four pages left unread.

 

 

Cece sat in a chair near the front of the briefing room, Max and Cory standing imposingly on either side of her as she let her head rest against the wall. Captain Henry was standing before her and the assembled units in the room. On the other wall, directly across from her, was the Djibouti Lieutenant, flanked by two other officers. He had nodded to her with respect when he had entered the room before sitting down his chair. Cece kept her eyes forward, refusing to look at the units as they filed into their chairs. A sense of worry and discomfort wormed its way through Cece's stomach as the room fell silent. If Max or Cory had seen Caleb Major, neither of them had made any motion about where he was in the room; Cece was grateful for that.

"We all know why we're here," Captain Henry's authoritative voice cut through the silence. "Quick and simple mission run. Going from the outskirts of our base, across the channel, and onto Kenyan mainland. We'll be practicing almost every kind of maneuver that we have in our arsenals. We'll do desert maneuvers, water maneuvers, swamp maneuvers, and then some pavement maneuvers at the airport. We will have air tracking so that we can review things when we get back. We'll also have medical coverage with us, courtesy of Lieutenant Mercury," Cece rose from her chair, turning to face the units. "but it will be highly unlikely that she will be needed. She will be running her own drills per her orders by Commander Simmons and those individuals already know who they are and what to do." Cece sat back down and exhaled; purposefully keeping her eyes on the back wall and not flinching made the whole experience a lot easier. She just hoped that the Commander didn't pick a certain obsessive Second Lieutenant for her mission. "Are there any questions? Yes, you there."

"Second Lieutenant Major, sir." Cece's entire body tensed and she felt Cory move one step closer. "If we have existing injuries that need to be attended to, can we see Lieutenant Mercury before we march out?"

"Lieutenant Mercury will be busy for the next 24 hours," Captain Henry said, narrowing his eyes in the direction of the voice. "This mission test is the practical part of her Medical Degree, so she will be involved in heavy studying. She has already taken the written and oral tests, but she will be studying until we march out. If you have existing injuries, please see Dr. Martin at the Med Bay."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed." As soon as the Captain nodded his head, Cory's hand latched around Cece's upper arm and pulled her towards the back exit. Max was hot on their heels, his hand on the small of Cece's back as they ducked through the door.

"Son of a bitch," Cory growled, practically dragging Cece through the back halls.

"He is creepy," Max said, glancing over his shoulder as he came up on the other side of Cece. "He stared at her the whole time."

"I told you," Cory said, rounding the corner to the stairs. There was the sound of the exiting units from around the far corner as they grew closer and closer to the stairs. "He didn't even look at the Captain while he was asking his question."

"Did you see him?" Max asked, voice much calmer and even than Cory's.

"I didn't look up," Cece shook her head.

"After the letter, I'm not surpr-" Max's voice snapped shut as they were met with a face peering up at them from the bottom of the stairs.

"Cece," Caleb breathed out, a wide grin splitting his face into two. Cece's breath faltered, unsure of what to do as Max grabbed her hand. "It's so amazing to see you. After all this time."

"Hi," Cece nodded, trying to keep her face impassive.

"C'mon," Max tugged. "We gotta go study."

"Who are you?" Caleb's head whipped to Max dangerously. If Max was startled or intimidated at all by Caleb's sudden movement and violent tone, he didn't show it.

"Maximillian Richards," Max strode forward, pulling Cece down the steps. "You already know Cory."

"I believe I do," Caleb's eyes narrowed at Cory who was walking shoulder to shoulder with Cece. His eyes softened as he looked back to Cece as she was coming closer. "You need better company, my beautiful flower."

"Don't call her that," Cory hissed, hands balling into fists.

"I always call her that," Caleb said, his tone betraying no hint of emotion as he continued to stare at her as they descended further. "I've been calling her that for three years. She loves it."

"We're leaving," Max said, pushing past Caleb.

"You are," Caleb turned with them. "But Cece isn't." Caleb's hand lashed out and yanked Cece to his chest.

"Let her go!" Cory roared, lunging toward Caleb.

"Easy Cory," Caleb spat, pulling Cece in between them. "I just want to talk to the love of my life."

"You don't even know her."

"On the contrary," Caleb chuckled, inhaling deeply in Cece's hair. "I know more than you do. After all, you didn't go to her parents' funerals like I did." Cece's eyes were wide with fear, nostrils flaring as she attempted to keep her face stony. "She's mine."

"Major!" A shout distracted Caleb enough that Cece wrenched herself out of the vice grip and ducked behind Max. "What do you think you're doing, grabbing my doctor like that?" Captain Henry stormed down the steps from where he had been leading the units back to their bunks.

"I'm-I'm sorry," Caleb stammered, reaching for Cece again.

"What do you think you're doing?" the Captain screamed at him. "Did she give you permission to touch her?"

"I...we...we're old friends," he attempted, looking to Cece for help, only to find his eyes meeting the broad expanse of Max's chest. "We were just-"

"You were just doing nothing," Captain Henry snarled. "Get her out of here," he waved his hand. "You'll be coming with me."

The last image that Cece saw of the scene was Caleb Major struggling against Captain Jack Henry's grip, his eyes stabbing into her soul, fury racing across his eyes. And then he began to shout after her, his words echoing in her head for months afterward.

"You're mine Cecelia!! I'm never going to stop loving you!!"


	7. Iraq and The Plan

**Forward Operating Base Loyalty, Baghdad, Iraq (2011)**

_“We’re being told that the blast happened just outside of the Forward Operating Base called Loyalty. Several members of the 1st Battalion and 1st Infantry Division have been reported as injured, but there are no deaths reported at this time. This is the fourth attack that has occurred here since the year began. While it has mainly quiet here at Loyalty for the past several years, General Vermillion has told me that he and his units have seen an increase of activity since 2011 began.”_

“Turn that shit off.”

Cory jerked upwards in his seat, along with several of the men around him, due to Cece padding in silently into the Green Beret barracks. She dropped her bag on the ground near the wall and began to strip out of her gear to put it on its place on the wall. Cory signaled for the TV to turn off as he got up and inspected Cece. Blood was everywhere on her battle fatigues, her bag was also soaked and sagging, as if it was practically empty of the supplies it had left with a few hours ago. Cece’s hands shook as she unclipped her helmet, leaving pale expanses of white where the straps had protected her against the dust, blood, and grime.

“How bad was it?”

“Would’ve been better if a second blast didn’t hit the 1st Infantry when we came up on the first blast site,” Cece said quietly, beginning to pull her vest off and slinging her gun onto its peg.

“The whole base is in lockdown,” one of the men said. “They aren’t telling us anything.”

“You don’t want to know anything,” Cece said, without looking up. “It was bad, alright? Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Yes ma’am,” the voices chorused around the room. They were still silent as Cece peeled down to her tank top and yoga pants she wore underneath her uniform. She kicked her boots at the wall with a defeated anger.

“I need a shower,” she turned back to the group for the first time. Her hands were coated in blood and dirt; it trailed up her arms, creeping towards the tattooed lines that embraced her arms and shoulders. Her face and neck were an equal mess, as if the blood smears were trying to meet in the middle of her torso. The muscled men in the room looked at their medical commander in silence, unsure of what to say. “Where’s Max?”

“He got pulled to surveillance. They’re trying to figure out what happened and where they went wrong.” Cece snorted at Cory’s statement. “They’re gonna call you in too. You’re one of the only people that-”

“I know,” she snapped, glaring at her friend. Her face softened and she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I know. Let me shower and then I’ll head there.”

The shower was a chilling requiem for Cece. Blood streamed down the drain as the water hit her skin, quickly chased down by grime that always weaseled its way underneath her uniform. Cece could hear the TV being flicked back to life from her shower on the second floor; she shut her eyes and blocked out the noise by reciting the human anatomy in her brain as she scrubbed her hair out. The shower had lasted a total of five minutes before the sound of voices downstairs echoed up to her. Captain North angry, sharp tones contrasting Cory’s pleading tenor. _They’ve come for me,_ she sighed, sliding the water off and snagging a towel. Now that the water was off and her head was clearer, Cece could hear the words clearly.

“-directly to me,” North barked. “Not only because she was the second doctor on sight, but also because she is a witness! We have to see what she knows.”

“And it can’t wait until she cleans the horrors of the day off of her?” Cory’s voice was closer than the Captain’s. “I know what she’s been through and what she saw, but she needs time to process.

“She can process while she is in debriefing. This is a matter of security!”

“And while I understand that, she will probably remember more when she doesn’t smell blood and dirt and explosives on her.”

“She shouldn’t be showering; it can be compromising-”

“You and I both know that anything that is on her body is also on her uniform and you’ve already collected that Captain Damen,” Cory’s words sharpened. “Don’t patronize me about what _my_ Commander already knows.”

“Do not speak to the Captain like that,” North’s voice matched Cory’s tone.

“My apologies Captain.”

“Now remove yourself and your men from the stairwell so that we may retrieve Commander Mercury.”

“I will personally escort my Commander to HQ when she is done,” Cory’s voice softened again to an almost pleading tone. “Just give her more time-”

“Captain Lee,” Captain Damen’s squeaky voice entered the fray. “It is…touching…the support that you and your men show for your commander. However, protocol states-”

“Protocol states that a witness to any war action is to be debriefed no less than an hour after the incident,” Cece’s voice echoed down from the second-floor landing, where she stood in a sports bra, her lower half hidden by the thick wooden paneling that made the balcony. “Even though the incident occurred two hours ago, I was needed on the ground to save lives. Now, if you’d have liked for me to abandon my sworn oath to protect and serve and save, I would gladly do that Captain. However, I think that in this instance, an exception could be made, don’t you agree?”

“Yes ma’am,” Captain Damen’s mousy face turned to the ground as he took a step backwards away from the second Captain who had invaded the Green Beret barracks.

“Commander Mercury,” Captain North said, his face still red with anger and his small stature postured squarely against Cory’s imposing form. “You are commanded to-”

“I don’t think you can command her to do anything, Captain,” Cory spat, his eyes never moving from North.

“I have my orders to bring you to HQ,” Captain North attempted to ignore Cory. “You have to go through debriefing procedures.”

“I know the procedures Captain,” Cece sighed, maneuvering herself to the stairs as she secured her pants. Her shirt was slung over her shoulder, tucked into the strap of her sports bra as she descended the stairs, her men parting as she stepped down. “I had an hour from the moment that I left the site to report to General Vermillion; I’ve used 15 minutes of that time. Since you _obviously_ refuse to leave my company’s barracks, I see that I’ll be cutting this short. Cory.”

“Yes ma’am,” Cory said as Cece stepped up next to him.

“You’re in charge until I return.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Shall we gentlemen?” Cece gestured to the two captains who had begun to shift nervously in her half clothed presence.

“After you ma’am,” Captain North said, extending his arm towards the door. Cece nodded at Cory before stepping out towards the door, her spare set of boots laced up tight on her feet.

“Commander?”

“Yes, Cory?” Cece turned back to her friend.

“Shirt on?” he grinned at her. A smile blossomed from her face, an air of relaxing spring out from her as she yanked the shirt over her head.

 

 

“I didn’t expect you so soon Commander,” General Vermillion said without turning around as she entered the High Command room that overlooked the surveillance zone that took up half of the basement level of HQ.

“Captains Damen and North were very…insistent,” she said, saluting him.

“They’ve been known to be a little demanding at the very least. At ease, Commander,” General Vermillion sighed with a wave of his hand. He turned back to Cece and took a seat at the conference table that was in between them. “I’ve been told that you already made your statement and presented what you saw.”

“Yes sir,” Cece sat down across from him.

“Save me from reading the report,” the General said, steeling his fingers together and peering down at Cece. “Give me your side.”

Cece took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

_“We have word that at least eight members of the 1st Battalion are seriously hit. No word on other less serious causalities or if there are any dead.”_

_“Any word on how large of a site?” Cece peered up at her former Captain, Jack Henry._

 

_“Commander Goebel has 10 squads in the 1st Battalion. He had eight of those squads with him. I haven’t seen any of the trucks return yet. They might be securing the area or waiting with their wounded.”_

_“Jesus,” Cece shook her head. “Any word of any attackers?”_

_“Nothing that I know of.”_

_“We could be walking into a trap.”_

_“Or a fight,” Jack nodded. “I thought of that too. Nothing ever escapes you does it, kid?” Their vehicle rocked dangerously as they bumped over rocks and debris around the walls of the base. “To be honest Cee,” Jack sighed, eyes shifting over the horizon. “I don’t know much. I just had my orders to get you and bring you with half of my team. I’m assuming that isn’t a good sign.”_

_“Nothing I’ve ever been requested for is,” Cece shook her head as the convoy bumped along. She and Jack were standing in the back of the second vehicle in the convoy, the stench of smoke and heat permeating the air. They bumped along, the radios crackling in and out of silence. The smell of smoke grew stronger as the sounds of screams and chaos reached their ears._

_“We’re close,” Jack shifted, reaching around his body to pull his gun to his chest. “Stick close to me and the boys here,” Jack motioned around the caravan at the 12 men from Jack’s 1st Infantry Division. “Our job is to protect and assist you. The rest of the men can handle the recovery and identification and lock down.”_

_“On your six Commander Henry,” Cece said firmly, adjusting her packs in her hands with a roll of her shoulders._

_“Got your back kid,” Jack gave a half smile, patting her on the helmet as the convoy came to a crawling halt. “Let’s move gentlemen.” Cece and Jack leapt from the vehicle and held back as the others piled out into formation. As the last man piled out, the world flashed and shook._

_The vehicle in front of them launched towards the Iraqi sun, a plume of fire chasing clouds that hung in the sky. Screams attempted to reach their ears, but the closeness of the explosion had sent their ears ringing. At the front of the 2nd Squad of the 1st Infantry Division, Jack pressed back into Cece, as her own hands went from her bags to the gun strapped to her back. She tried to blink the dust and the heat from her eyes, the only sound in her head was the sound of her own breathing, the pounding of her heartbeat barely distinguishable over the high-pitched whine that reminded Cece of the hearing tests that she had done all of her life._

_Her bags abandoned on the ground and her rifle pressed into her shoulder, Cece scanned the area, checking the rooftops as the other men around her scoped around them. She could hear the deep rumble of Jack’s voice reverberating through his back and into hers as she spun around quickly, eyes darting everywhere to try to find any source of unnatural movement or light. Satisfied that she hadn’t seen anything and that the other squads of Jack’s command were now following her lead and scanning everything they possibly could, she tucked her gun under her arm and snagged her bags. She clasped a hand onto Jack’s shoulder and he instinctively flew forward._

_The ground wasted no time in turning into a sponge; the brown space filling and clotting every fluid that it could. Cece felt Jack tense and her teeth clacked together and began to count rhythmically in her head one..two..three..four..one..two..as she inhaled and her stomach churned at the smell of iron and toxic air._

“How many?”

“Squad One of the 1st Infantry Division lost the driver, the gunner, and four troopers,” Cece said, watching the steadiness of her palm slide onto the table in front of her. “Three of them are okay, minor stitching needed, but will be fine. Twelve others are wounded, three of them will lose one limb and one is going to lose both legs.”

“And from the 1st Battalion?”

“Eight seriously wounded, twelve dead, twenty more with minor things that will be manageable.”

“How bad was it?” General Vermilion asked after a moment of dragging silence.

_It was like looking into a moon crater. If the moon was on fire and had a human infestation and was littered with pieces of vehicles and human flesh and guns and chaos. The scent of explosives permeated Cece’s skin. The burning vehicle from the 1st Infantry was on the edge of the crater, half buried in a newly sprung corner of the crater. Jack was counting. Cece couldn’t count. She listened. Specks of voices cried out from around the pit, she could hear them sharper if she shut her eyes. She could find survivors if she shut her eyes. She wouldn’t have to look at the jagged edges of white, the pools of red, the blue edges around the grey smoke in the sky, the eyes of green of the driver-_

“Bad then,” Cece blinked, realizing her hand had clenched into a shaking fist on the table. She looked up and met General Vermillion’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she sputtered, chastising herself for losing control.

“It’s okay, Commander,” he put his hand out. The room sat in silence as he studied her for a beat. “You know, you remind me so much of your father. He was always struck by the atrocities we saw.” Before Cece could open her mouth to respond, there was a knock on the door.

“General Vermillion, sir?”

“Yes, Captain Richards. Enter.” Cece rose from her chair, turning to see a stern-faced Maximillian Richards before them. When Max saw Cece, his face softened into concern and relief before masking itself back up again.

“I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Not at all Captain Richards,” General Vermillion gestured to the seat next to Cece. “Tell me what you know.”

“The bombs were planted in between roof patrol shifts,” Max sat down next to Cece, carefully assuring not to startle his commander. “The bombers buried them and ran.”

“Do we have faces for these individuals?”

“Yes sir. We’re running facial recognition now.”

“What is your suggestion?”

“Increase coverage,” Max said with no hesitation. “We have the manpower to station one person every 60 meters or so. Alternating them from roofs and outside the wall would give us more vantage points.”

“What about the patrols?”

“Continue with the patrols,” Max suggested. “More eyes never hurt anyone. Especially in this case.” General Vermillion nodded slowly.

“How many men are you suggesting adding then?”

“Approximately 20.”

“And how many men are in under your command Mercury?”

“24 sir,” Cece nodded. “12 in each squadron.”

“Mmm,” the General nodded. “Bring Commander Henry in on this mission. I know you have worked together before and his men will probably need the assignment.”

“Yes sir,” Cece and Max chorused.

“I don’t care how you do it,” the General rose. “If you want to alternate days or split the parties, it’s up to you and Jack.”

“Understood General,” Cece stood with him.

“Just get this plan moving quickly. I want us covered as soon as the weekend is out.”

“Commander Henry and I will report to you tomorrow.”

“Make it Monday,” General Vermillion strode around the table toward the door. “It’ll give you an extra day to plan and brief your troops.”

“As you wish, sir.”

“0600 hours on Monday, Commander.”

“Yes sir,” Cece saluted him as General Vermillion opened the door.

“And Captain?”

“Yes sir?” Max turned back from the door, where he had moved after saluting him.

“Go get some rest,” Vermilion’s face softened, glancing back to Cece’s form behind him. “Captain Cora can take it from here.” Max nodded in understanding and led Cece out of the door. He turned to Cece after the door snapped shut, but she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him forward.

“Not here,” she muttered, leading him towards the back doors. Max followed her lead, keeping close to her left shoulder as she marched down the hallway with purpose. Several men and women paused to salute her as she strode by, but if she noticed, Cece didn’t pay any mind to them. They slunk down the back stairs and out the door to the alley way that was never used. As soon as the door slammed shut behind them, Max gather her into his arms.

“Holy shit,” he exhaled shakily. “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.”

“I know,” she sighed, burying her face into his crisp, clean white shirt.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Max said again. It was then that Cece realized how badly he was shaking. His muscles were trembling as they gripped her tightly, the white shirt wafting in tandem with the slight breeze. “We lost all of our cameras after the second blast. One moment you were there, the next-”

“Yeah,” Cece murmured as she realized what he was implying. Instead of seeing the red in the dirt, feeling the grit and sweat on his skin, Max had seen nothing. Static, white and black along the screens where the greens and browns had briefly been. He had watched it all play out in real time instead of hearing it through the pipeline like Cory and the rest of the team had, unknowing if he would see his commander among the bodies when the screens crackled back to life. He had spent long moments not knowing if Cece was tending the wounded or was one of them. She pulled back after squeezing his ribs.

“Let’s get back and get you rested,” Max said, keeping his arm carefully slung over her shoulder. “You look like shit.”

“Look who’s talking,” Cece said, a smiling tugging on her lips for the first time that day. “You stare at screens so long and you start looking like you’re allergic to the sun.”

“I’m ginger, of course I’m allergic to the sun.”

 

 

Three weeks of patrols and nothing. It was driving Cece crazy. The constant rotation of squadrons every 6 hours would feel worth it if they at least found something. Or perhaps saw some action. Cece sighed at her position in HQ, tilting her chair until it was leaning against the back wall of Surveillance. She and Jack had traded off shifts the best that they could over the past three weeks, constantly monitoring the movements of troops and searching the screens for any sign of weird activity. Three weeks of Surveillance shifts, Med Bay shifts, and patrol shifts was beginning to take its toll. She wanted to be back out in the field with her men, chasing down insurgents in buildings and helping the Iraqi army.

A bustle of movement on the most Northeastern camera caught her eye as she adjusted her headset. A figure stood in line of sight of the camera with one of Jack’s men, exchanging pleasantries and shaking hands. The unknown man’s back was to the camera, but the form made Cece pause in her scan to look closer. The shaggy black hair didn’t seem familiar, but the tilt of the head and the uneven roll of the shoulders made something click in the back of her brain; she didn’t recognize the form from the awkward wideness of his shoulders and the skinniness of his legs. She’d remember someone on base who looked so disproportional. But I know him from somewhere…where? she thought to herself as she scrubbed her fists against her eyes.

“That exciting, huh?”

“As always,” she looked up to meet Jack’s eyes. “Slow is better than the other option, I guess.”

“Depends on who you ask,” Max said from Jack’s right, holding out a bottle of water to her. “Men are getting restless.”

“I know,” Cece sighed. “There isn’t much I can do about that.” She turned back to the camera, but the figure was gone. She blinked, bottle frozen halfway to her lips.

“What?” Max bent down. “What do you see?”

“Nothing,” she shook her head, clearing the unknown man from her brain. “I just saw Jack’s men talking to someone and didn’t know who he was. Apparently, he recognized him though.”

“You think it’s someone we need to watch for?” Jack craned his neck, trying to get a good view over Max’s bulk.

“It’s nothing,” Cece waved it off. “I think I’m just on edge.”

“Everyone’s on edge,” Jack sighed. “It isn’t often that we get a full-on threat.”

“I thought the General was gonna blow a gasket yesterday when the threat came through,” Max straightened and popped his shoulders. “He was furious. He was on the phone with the Pentagon all shift.”

“Same here,” Cece nodded. “Hasn’t even made an appearance.”

“Well then we know it’s bad,” Jack shook his head. “I have half a mind to have him take us off of patrol duties and send us into the field.”

“Once they figure out where the threat is coming from, I’m all for submitting the petition,” Cece rose from her chair with her water in one hand and the headset in the other.

“I’ll submit with you,” Jack nodded. “I think that both teams need to stretch their legs.

“Berets are used to being on guard duty,” she winked at her former commander who chuckled. “But for now, we need to go suit up.”

“Yes ma’am,” Max took a step backwards for her to waltz over to Jack before sliding into her vacated seat. “I’ll keep an eye on everything.”

“Transfer in three, two, one,” Cece counted down, her hands mimicking Max’s on the keyboard before pressing a series of buttons in duet with him.

“Captain Maximillian Richards has the Comm,” Max began to speak into the headset. “Units, report.” Max returned Cece and Jack’s waves as they moved toward the exit.

“I have some unfortunate news about patrols today.”

“I never like that,” Cece sighed as they trudged up the ramp and out into the bright hallway.

“Sawyer is down with food poisoning today. Something he bought at the market yesterday.”

“You have to get him under control,” Cece shook her head as they marched through the building. “He can’t be out at the market all the time flirting with that orchard girl.”

“Trust me, I’ve spoken with him extensively about it. I’ve ordered him to a guard shift at the med bay with you. I feel like you’re the only person who can keep an eye on him.”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or not.”

“Both,” Jack chuckled as they opened the doors into the light of the setting sun. “We’ll be short one today because of it.”

“He’s on the ground on the Northeastern side, right?”

“Yes ma’am,” Jack nodded. “Two positions down from yours.”

“We can make do with spreading Thompson and I out a bit more. I don’t want to pull anyone out of bed or pull a double shift right now.”

“Aren’t you sweet,” Jack’s voice chuckled, low in his chest.

“Someone’s gotta be the nice one in this partnership,” she winked.

“Better to be feared than loved,” Jack shook his head, small smile playing on his face.

“Go suit up,” she laughed as they reached the fork in the road. “Tell Thompson that I’m gonna post up on the corner and he should space out accordingly. And tell your captains that I want to know who your man was talking too on the Northeastern corner.”

 

 

“Same as when you checked in at 2100,” Max’s bass voice echoed over the earpiece.

“Two hours to go,” Jack’s voice crackled in again. “Unit reports are okay?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Who’s due in after you?” Cece asked, eyes scanning around the dark road in front of her.

“Capitan Cora.”

“Did you hear from Bobby yet, Jack?”

“My captains haven’t heard from him since he reported back in. I’m about to send my men out on a search.”

“Might want to,” Max suggested. “I haven’t heard from Thompson in about two hours and he hasn’t been on my screen in thirty. He’s in the location that Bobby patrolled today.”

“I’ll go check it out.”

“Commander Mercury,” Jack said, his voice turning darker. “Might I suggest that-”

“Too late,” Max sighed. “She’s already on her way over.”

“Dammit Cece,” Jack growled. “Give me time to get you cover.”

“You can see the whole side from your spot,” Cece rolled her eyes. “It’s not like you’re going to miss anything.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“What do you have visual on, Captain?” Cece asked, tightening her grip on the gun tucked underneath her left shoulder.

“The road, the highway,” Max’s fingers flying over the keys echoed into his brain. “Everything is quiet.”

“I really don’t like this,” Jack muttered.

“Shush,” Cece said, breaking out into a brisk jog. It took only ten minutes to get into view of the camera and into the patrol zone that Thompson was supposed to monitor. The camera pointed towards the highway that ran parallel to the Eastern wall of FOB Loyalty, but there was a gap in camera coverage between that camera and the corner camera which moved in sweeping motions. The gap included a dirt path that was blocked off from any other roads and was usually used for practice drills. Because of that, there were a few husks of burned out cars that were used as cover and as distractions.

She ignored the cars at first, sweeping her lit up gun across the path in front of her and the wall that ran alongside her. The beam of light didn’t reveal anything unusual. She turned to the path. As soon as the stream reached the front of the path, her heart skipped. Two red lines pulled her towards the second car of the triad that had been purposefully set up. Not dropping her guard, she pulled a brighter, wider light from her side as she rounded the corner. Clicking it on, her voice cracked.

“Fuck.”

“Cece?” Max’s voice jumped from its usual octave.

“Where are you?” Jack’s voice bounded like he was running.

“I found Thompson,” Cece’s voice warbled, ditching her gun to fling herself on top of the bloody, unconscious body. Her fingers pressed to the wrist and her head pressed into the pectoral muscle. “He’s in a bad way.”

“Where are you?” Jack repeated, harsher.

“I need a drone, now!” Max’s voice was farther away from the mic now. “I need eyes on Commander Mercury.”

“He’s breathing, but barely.”

“Don’t make me ask again.”

“Follow the wall to-” Click. Cece paused her frantic words, knowing the sound of a gun cocking when she heard it. They all did.

“Cece?!” Jack’s voice roared in her ear.

“Go get Cory!”

“Move away from the body Commander.” The crackle of a male voice forced Cece’s hands up, although she didn’t move.

“I have to help him,” she said, her voice even. “It’s my duty to help him.”

“Not now. Get up.” She brought her feet underneath her. “Move away.” She took several steps backwards in the direction she had left her gun. “To the right, if you please.” Cece paused and then followed the orders. “Turn around.”

“I’m on my way,” Jack’s voice was breathless; or maybe it was just muffled due to the furious pounding that had struck up in her ears. “I’m coming as fast as I can. Keep him talking.”

“Do you even recognize me?” Cece nodded. “Do you know why I’m here?” She shook her head. “Three years ago, you left me to rot in Djibouti. I came back for you though. You never left my thoughts. You ran away from me. But you, Cecelia Mercury, you can’t run me anymore. I’ve come for what is mine. And you’re mine.”

The shot echoed in the silent night. The echo gave way to thuds of fists on skin as Caleb Major flung himself at the prone Cece. His fury of blows struck the new wound in her shoulder as well as every other inch of skin he could reach. She curled in on herself as best she could, trying to shield her shoulder and her body against it all.

“You’re mine!” his voice roared. “No one else can touch you! _No one else can have you!! No. One. Do. You. Un! Der! Stand!? MINE!!_ ”

It took Jack exactly six minutes and forty-two seconds to come into range. In the same amount of time, Cory had been alerted and was racing out of the Green Beret barracks with half of his squadron. Max had abandoned his post and had covered half the distance to her. General Vermillion had a call out to Washington D.C., informing them of an attack on one of their own. Jack saw Caleb spit on Cece’s body as he approached. He fired two shots and missed. Caleb fled into the dark streets of Baghdad.

Cece learned all of that later. She didn’t see or hear anything. She was dead.

 

 

 

**Brooklyn, New York, United States (Present Day)**

“Jack performed CPR for almost three minutes.”

“Two minutes and forty-six seconds.”

“I was lucky to walk away with a concussion, six broken ribs, fractured fibula, and a bullet wound.”

“I wouldn’t say you walked away.”

“Fine. I was carried away.”

“I carried you away.”

“I was in New York the next week to file a petition against him, but it was denied.”

“Fuckin’ politicians,” Cory grumbled from the seat next to Cece. “Couldn’t even fathom that this could actually happen to one of us by one of our own. And to a Beret too. They insisted that she had been attacked by terrorists and not Caleb.”

“Why did they say that?” Joe asked, his voice cracking.

“We couldn’t prove otherwise. No one wanted to have a creepy ex-soldier stalking one of America’s finest, so they went with terrorist.”

The four Jokers sat at a table that was facing Cece in silence, taking in her flustered stance in the middle of the police station on the edge of Brooklyn. Brian’s hands were resting on the table he was sitting at, eyes trained on the helmet that Cece had tossed onto the table when they had entered. The whole story, he couldn’t take his eyes off of the helmet. It was easier to watch the helmet than watch her face as she told the story.

“So that’s the story,” Cece said after a beat of silence echoed around the room. “That’s what happened and why, after all this time, it’s still a nightmare.”

“My question is how the fuck he found you,” Cory wiped his head with his hand.

“It wouldn’t be that hard, honestly,” Cece sighed. “I haven’t been careful enough. I’ve been on the show, pop up on their social media. Once he saw me once, he could retrace me a thousand different ways.”

“Yeah,” came a gruff voice from the doorway that made everyone turn. “It took me five minutes to build a profile on you; took 15 to get everything I needed to track you. You gave me three weeks and I’ve retraced your life for the past six years. You’re an idiot.”

“Who the fuck is this dude?” Sal gestured angrily to the wide expanse of chest and shoulders in the doorway.

“Maximillian Richards,” he said, his large feet hitting the tile floor with a repeated clop. “Lieutenant Colonel Richards if you’re military. If not, Max is good.” Max spun away from the four still sitting at the table and handed Cece the file in his hands. “Like I said, you’re an idiot.”

“Okay, I admit, I could’ve been smarter,” Cece sighed.

“Could’ve?” Cory snapped the file up and stared. “You really did not do anything to hide yourself, Commander.”

“Easy peanut gallery,” Cece snagged the folder again. “Just cause I’ve been out of the game a while, doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

“According to this you are,” Max flicked the folder. “I mean, jeez Cee. Putting yourself on national television? Doesn’t get much more public than that.”

“The restraining order can only go so far, you know.”

“Stupidity can go much farther,” Cory glared at her.

“We can go back and forth on this issue all night gentlemen,” Cece sighed. “At the end of it, we still have a problem.”

“Yeah,” Max crossed his arms, flexing his biceps dangerously. “Asshat is coming for you. And judging by last time and his interaction with Mr. Murray, he isn’t taking no for an answer this time.”

“So what’s the play?”

“Line of fire is a best option.”

“We’re not doing that,” Max shook his head at Cory. “You know better. This isn’t the trenches of Iraq like you’re used to.”

“And you know that it’s our best option,” Cory shot back, rolling his eyes. “And fuck you.”

“It’s our dumbest option. We’re not throwing Cece to the wolf like that.”

“Plus you have to think that he probably knows that that particular play is coming,” Cece rubbed her face. “It’s too easy. Too predictable. Too us.”

“Well what is your suggestion then?” Cory looked to Max.

“We go to him. I track him, Cory takes him out. The end.”

“That’s dumber than my idea,” Cory straightened up off of his stool.

“We have a statistical probability with my shot. Yours is suicide.”

“And yours isn’t?”

“Neither of you are helping with this,” Cece glared at her friends.

“Why not let him come to her?” The military trio turned to the table where the Jokers sat.

“Are you out of your God damn mind?!” Sal exclaimed, hands flailing towards his best friend.

“That’s literally the worst idea-” Joe began.

“No wait,” Max held up his hand. “What are you thinking, Quinn?” Brian’s face crinkled with confusion, causing Max to respond. “I’ve spend the past three weeks compiling a file on Cece to figure out what this Asshat has on her. I know who you are. Now, what’s your idea?”

“Safest play is to keep her out of harm’s way, yeah?” Brian said, glancing between Max and Cory. “So put tabs on her and give her a guard. Make it impossible to get to her without getting seen.”

“He got passed an entire security system of a Forward Operating Base,” Cory shifted. “How do you think we can beat that here?”

“Besides, he knows everyone we’d put on her.”

“But he doesn’t know that we know.”

“Wait, what?” Murray turned fully in his seat.

“You’re not suggesting that we become Cece’s guard, are you?” Joe asked, incredulously.

“No, of course not,” Brian’s hair fanned back and forth. The three other comedians exhaled. “I will be.”

“What?!”

“You’re crazy!!”

“You don’t even have the proper training.”

“Or the clearance level.”

While Joe, Murray, Cory, and Max attempted to speak over each other, Brian locked eyes with Cece. Earlier, when he had locked eyes with Cece, he had seen anger, confusion, and fear. But now, standing there in front of him, she looked like she did the day they met. Cece looked exhausted, skittish, guarded. Now…now he had no idea what he was seeing in her eyes. But she was still Cece. Her eyes were still the eyes he’d looked into that first day when she had called him a hero and her handshake made his heart feel like a earthquake; she still smelled like coconuts from the island they ran off to where she had taught him to surf and where she had commanded the dance floor; her hands were still rough, her muscles were still broader than Murray’s, her lips were just as enticing as…Brian shook his head. Don’t even go there. She needs a hero, not a lovesick puppy.

“I don’t see you assholes coming up with any better ideas,” Brain crossed his arms and turned to his right. Sal was staring at him with a face that was half concerned and half outraged.

“And it isn’t our call to make,” Max shook his head. “Cece?” Cece looked over to Max and Cory. “It’s your call Commander,” Cory nodded in agreement.

“We’ll follow your lead. How do you want to do this?”


	8. Halloween and Forgiveness

“I’m tellin’ ya Bri,” Walt Flannigan said, drinking sloshing dangerously in his hands. “That gal is fantastic. She knows what’s what.”

“You act like I don’t know this already Walt,” Brian smiled, trying to hide the sadness on his face. “She’s my friend, ya know.”

“She our friend,” Bryan Johnson shook his head from his perch at the bar. “That girly is something else entirely. She should be a guest on the show more often.”

“Ming said we should put her on as a regular now,” Walt chuckled, barely audible over the music. “Swear that dude’s in love with her.”

“She’s too good for him,” Bryan said, shaking his head so his beard swung back and forth.

“Know what she’s comin’ as tonight?” Brian asked, nonchalantly swirling his Jameson in his hand.

“Picked up her costume from the shop this afternoon,” Walt nodded, tipping his drink back.

“That late?”

“Ordered it last minute,” Walt shrugged. “I put a rush on it for her.”

“What is she?”

“I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

“Oh, c’mon dude,” Brian said, fully turning to his friend and cohost.

“Not my place,” Walt held up his hands, backing away from the bar. “You’ll see her when you see her. Flash out!” Walt’s red and yellow costume vanished into the crowd that was dancing behind them and Brian turned to the remaining member of the TESD crew.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t dress up.”

“I’m hosting, I don’t have to dress up.”

“I’m pretty sure you do.”

“Have you talked to Cece since you’ve been back?” Brian blinked, forcing it to seem like he was unprepared for the sudden change in conversation.

“Not much. Why?”

“She was off the past weeks since you’ve been gone,” Bryan sighed, running his hand over his beard. “Like she acted fine, but there was just something that didn’t really sit right with me.”

“I’ll ask her tonight, but she didn’t mention anything.”

“Alright. Get going buddy. I’ve gotta go make sure Ming doesn’t bother the DJ too much now.”

“See ya man,” Brian chuckled and patted his friend on the back. He wove his way over to the table in the back where Sal, Joe, and Murray were all seated as the three other members of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He felt a sense of guilt tugging in his gut as he saw them all bent close together and speaking; he debated whether or not to go find someone else to speak to before Sal caught his eye and nodded at him. Sighing and disappointed he couldn’t avoid this confrontation, he nodded back and went to join the group. The group broke apart as Brian approached, confirming his suspicions that he had been the topic of conversation. Brian slid into the chair next to Sal who was checking his phone and nodded across the table at Murray.

“How you been buddy?” Murray slid his elbows on to the table. “We didn’t really get a chance to chat today.”

“Yeah, filming was nuts. What a way to jump back into it.”

“How was training? You look like it was tough.”

“It wasn’t bad,” Brian shrugged. “Felt nice to be back, but I don’t want to do it again soon.”

“What all did you do?” Murray asked, sipping his drink.

“Jesus Murr, what is this? An interrogation?”

“No,” Murray rolled his eyes. “I was just trying to catch up with you. An interrogation would’ve led with ‘why the fuck did you leave Cece in that hallway’?”

“Or ‘why did you volunteer yourself for guard duty?’” Joe chimed in.

“Don’t start,” Brian shook his head.

“Like I said, not an interrogation.”

“Speaking of Cece,” Sal slid his phone back into his pocket. “She should be here soon with Bess and Jeremy. She texted me about 15 minutes ago saying they were leaving the place.”

“Are they coming as a group costume or something?” Brian asked, trying to play it off.

“You don’t know what Cece is?” Joe’s eyebrows shot up, looking at Brian for the first time since he sat down at the table.

“What, you do?”

“You don’t know,” Joe laughed, loudly and openly. “Oh man. I wanna film your reaction when you see her.”

“I’m gonna assume that you guys know too then, since you assholes share everything with each other,” Brian grumbled.

“Only with Cece,” Joe shot back.

“Don’t start,” Sal shook his head, scooting in closer in between his friends.

“Wait, he knows?!” Murray squeaked in a way that would’ve been funny to Brian if he wasn’t so angry.

“Of course he knows I know,” Joe shook his head. “I texted him about it.”

“More like threatened me about it,” Brian glared.

“You threatened him?!”

“You’re overreacting, Ferret,” Joe rolled his eyes. “I just told him what it was and that was that.”

“He said I was off the show if Cece quits,” Brian met Murray’s eyes. There was a nice sense of satisfaction that filled Brian as Murray whipped his head over to Joe.

“Dude!” Murray’s voice cracked.

“Like you didn’t say the same thing,” Joe rolled his eyes.

“Doesn’t mean I’d say that to him.”

“Guys,” Sal’s voice churned below the thumping bass of the club that was underlying the harsh tone of the table.

“You said it a lot the past couple of weeks.”

“I say things in private all the time,” Murray gestured wildly.

“Guys.”

“It doesn’t mean that what I say needs to be broadcast to everyone!”

“Hypocritical much?” Brian rolled his eyes.

“How is that hypocritical?” Joe asked, glaring across the table.

“Shut up,” Sal smacked Brian square in the chest.

“Okay, oww,” Brian looked over at his friend. “What the fuck?”

“Cece.” The table followed the direction of Sal’s finger and Brian felt everything around him sharpen into focus in a blinding punch of purple. Cece tousled her dark curls, waving them just so to let them fall against the purple eye-mask that was pressed into her skin. She had followed Jeremy’s advice; sort of followed his advice. She was decked out in violet, from what parts of her were clothed. It took Brian’s brain a few minutes to compute what he was seeing, for Cece’s chest was exposed with her nipples barely covered as her skin was exposed past her bellybutton. The symbol underneath her exposed skin, struck a chord in Brian’s brain. Cece had blended her love of comic books with Jeremy’s insistence that she become sexy and was a Star Sapphire from the Lantern Corps. There was so much of Cece’s skin and tattoos showing that his brain was short circuiting.

“Damn,” Murray’s voice bounced around in his brain. “She went for it.”

Bran couldn’t find the willpower to respond to his friend. His eyes were only on Cece. Every thought that he had pushed away over the past three weeks came rushing back to him. The feel of her skin underneath his hands, her lips pressed into his, the way she smelled like the beach in Hawaii where they had all escaped to a few years ago. His body craved to box her in again, to bring her body into parallel with his.

“She looks good,” Sal whistled, his voice low and gravely. Brian’s head whipped over and he glared at his friend. He had an unexpected pulse of hatred towards his best friend as the words reached his ears. The possessiveness was sudden and it took Brian a moment to realize what he was feeling. By the time he had turned back to Cece, Ming had his arms wrapped around her. His stomach churned and he stood up quickly.

“I need another drink.” Brian could hear his friends call after him, but he kept his head down and his eyes on the bar.

After Cece had agreed to let Brian assist in the plan, things had slowly slid into place. They’d stay at his place after the party tonight, but several members of Cory’s command would be posted up outside of his apartment. Cece wasn’t exactly pleased about that part of the plan, but allowed it. What she refused to have was surveillance in his apartment. Secretly, Brian was pleased about it. It meant that she still cared what he valued, and what he really valued was his privacy. He glanced back to the door as he approached the bar. Brain barely saw Joe kissing his wife or Jeremy haphazardly flirting with the DJ. He only saw that Ming had an arm around her waist and was whispering something in her ear. Cece grinned, her curls bouncing as her purple lips turned towards his friend.

“Usual Mr. Quinn?”

“Make it a double Steve,” Brian said, turning back to the bar and their usual bartender behind it. “And a shot of Patron.”

“Drinking to forget tonight? Or to celebrate the season?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he chuckled. The bartender smirked and made himself scarce, knowing well enough when to leave one of his regular customers alone.

Brian shut his eyes. I should’ve said something before she left he thought to himself, hanging his head. At the end of the debriefing and the planning, Cece took a call from Jeremy and came back with a quick goodbye. She had hesitated with him, something that never happened before…before you were an ass and fucking let her think that you didn’t…that the kiss didn’t…

“Quinn!” Brian opened his eyes and turned in the direction of Ming’s voice, barely audible over the harsh beat of the bass.

“Hey buddy!” Brian let his voice morph into excitement.

“Happy Halloween!”

“Same to ya!” He was purposefully not looking at the purple form who was waving at Steve. “You make a good Dead Glenn.”

“You’re missing the rest of your Ninja Turtles,” Ming chuckled as Cece pulled away from him. His eyes flickered over to her, but came back to Brian quickly. “Where are the other Jokers?”

“Present and accounted for,” Sal slid up next to Brian, who jumped slightly.

“Figured I would find you guys near the bar,” Ming winked. His gaze filtered back to Cece. “You seen your girl?”

“I am no one’s girl, Ming Chen. You’d do right to remember that.”

“I still have no idea how you’re single, Cece.”

“Call it magic,” Cece grinned, leaning back on the bar. She looked to Brian before allowing her gaze to leap to Sal. “I got us a round of the Halloween special.”

“As long as there is no fake blood involved, fine,” Sal made a disgusted face.

“I make no promises,” Cece shrugged.

“That’s gross.”

“You guys got a table?” she asked, quickly leading Sal away from the conversation. “Jer’s got my purse and I want to make sure that I get that in a safe place before he wanders off with Mister DJ.”

“I’ll go get it,” Ming touched her arm. Brian felt another flare of jealous waltz through him. “I need to solidify the DJ’s plans anyway. I’ll make sure he doesn’t wander too soon.”

“Thanks Ming!”

“Anything for my Star Sapphire,” he winked before turning away. Brian’s eyes were still on Cece as she turned and mimed a few motions to Bessy and Joe who were making their way towards the table. A few more hand signals later and Cece turned back to Steve and Sal.

“Hey Sal! Take the shots to the table? I’m buying the next round.”

“Well aren’t you lovely?” Sal said as he slid up next to her where the shot glasses her. “And sexy.” Cece tossed her head back in an astonished laugh.

“You’re getting bolder, aren’t you?”

“Only when there’s a beautiful woman around.”

“Okay,” Brian glared at the hand she placed on his arm. “Now you’re just being overdramatic. Take the shots and get going.”

“Well damn girl! I know when I’m not wanted.” Sal grinned his famous, panty-dropping grin as Cece rolled her eyes and laughed again.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I’m your favorite.”

“I shall neither confirm nor deny your statement, for your ego needs no more stroking.” Sal winked and began to turn away from her with the tray of shots in his hands. “But…” Her tone made Sal turn back and Brian stiffen. She leaned forward, ensuring to angle the white pointed collar away, and planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving a purple smear across the dark beard. “Maybe that’ll satisfy you for now.” Brian wasn’t expecting Sal to blush underneath the dark lights of the club, but as his best friend turned away, he knew the signs of his friend’s red cheeks. When Sal met his eyes, he glared which caused Sal to blush even more as he walked away with a shrug.

“…and just make Bessy something sweet and fitting for a vampire,” Cece was saying to Steve when Brian turned back. “Then surprise me with a shot and something tall, dark, and strong.”

“I got just what you need right here,” Steve winked at her.

“Back off man,” Brain stepped up next to Cece.

“Whoa, sorry boss,” Steve took a step back with his hands raised. “I’ll get you those drinks Ms. Cece.”

“Thank you Steve,” Cece smiled at him as he retreated down the bar. She took a deep breath and let her lungs burn with it before speaking again. “Last time you scared of someone who was hitting on me, you left me stranded in a hallway.”

“I…well…” Brian wasn’t prepared for her to be so forward about it. He was expecting to dance around it or just ignore it.

“Sorry,” Cece shook her head, trying to clear it. “Jeremy and Bess made me take a few shots before we game. My tongue is already a bit looser than I intended it to be. Just forget that I said that.” Stunned by the rush of words, Brian paused and tried to gather his thoughts. Sensing his hesitation, Cece plowed ahead. “I hope that your training was good. We didn’t really get to talk much, all things considered. Your seat on the podcast is just as you left it. I don’t know if you heard the shows yet, but despite what Walt and Bry and Ming say, I didn’t touch anything.” Brian opened his mouth to say something, but she continued to ramble. “And I want to thank you for what you offered to do earlier today too. And I know that I was probably really out of line with a lot of stuff that I said and did, but it’s a really weird situation and I’m really not comfortable with-”

“Cece, easy,” Brian said, setting his glass on the bar. “Breathe between sentences, yeah?” She didn’t look at him when she nodded so Brian turned and faced the bottles of alcohol. “Training was the same as every year. Lost a bit of weight though from just…everything, I guess. Haven’t heard the podcast yet, honestly. Everyone has been raving about it though, so I’m excited to listen to them. And about today…” Brian paused sensing Cece tense more than watching her warbled reflection in the bottles. “I don’t know where to begin.” Brian let the questions roll off his tongue before one stood out to him. “What happened to Jack?” Cece’s laugh startled him.

“Out of everything that I told you, that is the question you’re starting with?”

“Well he’s not here yelling at you about being an idiot,” Brian met her eyes with a half-smile. “and he’s a pretty big part of your story, so yeah he’s what I’m starting with.” Several heartbeats passed as the two stared at each other with smiles on their faces. Brian was just about to say something about how beautiful she looked when Cece blinked and coughed.

“Jack’s great,” Cece shifted, turning her body fully to Brian. “He became a General about two years ago. Leading forces in Syria against ISIS. Real soldier.”

“You keep in touch with him?”

“We write when we can. Which is rarely.”

“I’d love to meet him some day.”

“As long as he keeps his ass out of the line of fire, which I doubt knowing Jack, I’ll introduce you. He’s supposed to be on leave in about a year.” She sighed, wistfully looking out on the dance floor. “General Jack Henry. It’s weird saying that. We were equals once.”

“You’re still equals,” Brian said, turning towards her as he indicated to Steve he wanted another.

“He’s about six ranks above me,” she laughed, tilting her head to him. “And besides. He was my first CO. He’s always above me in my eyes.” She looked over his shoulder and rolled her eyes. “I might be tipsy, but our friends are not subtle.” Brian glanced over his shoulders, stunned to see the whole table staring at the pair at the bar. They quickly all looked away and pretended, badly Brian thought, to be interested in other things.

“Yeah.” He sighed and turned back to Cece. “About that night-”

“Don’t sweat it,” Cece waved a hand at him as she slid the tray of drinks to her. “I understand.”

“You do?” Brian crinkled his eyes at her.

“Absolutely,” she said firmly, thumbing at the shot glass that Steve had slid to her. “You were drunk, you didn’t mean it, and I pushed the wrong buttons.” She tossed the sickly green looking shot down her throat. “We’re good. No harm done.” Brian blinked at the space where Cece had been, unable to process what she had just said.

So good I almost believed myself Cece thought as she exhaled sharply, the tray of drinks not wavering in her hand. It’s what he wants and you know it. Just suck it up and get drunk. She glided up the stairs with ease, her violet, thigh high combat boots clicking with every step. She slid the drinks tray onto the table before spying an empty seat between Sal and Bessy that had a drink that looked suspiciously like Murray’s on the table in front of it. The other options were two seats right next to each other. Murray will understand...hopefully. She smiled at Sal and winked before climbing over him into the booth.

“That’s my seat you’re stealing, Mercury!” Murray’s voice squeaked from behind her.

“Finder’s keeper’s,” she winked sliding the drink over to the other seat.

“Jesus,” Sal shook his head, slinging his arm across the back of the booth. “how many shots did you guys take?”

“Since Cece got to the house or since we were getting ready?” Bessy asked with a giggle.

“Are those numbers different?” Joe’s eyes widened as Brian stormed over to the table, determined look on his face.

“Cece and I took a couple before Jeremy got there.”

“You fuckers made me catch up!” Jeremy whined from next to Bessy.

“Ten total,” Cece answered, pulling her drink off of the tray and snagging a shot. “Plus Jeremy and I split a bottle of champagne on the way over.”

“Holy shit,” Joe’s eyes widened as Sal burst into laughter.

“You’re trying to get fucked up, aren’t you?” Murray giggled. Cece’s eyes glazed over for a moment before turning back to their normal green.

“I had a rough day, so sue me,” she said with a shrug before downing the shot in her hands. The table grew silent as she made a face. “Yuck. Can we agree to not do themed shots?”

“You mean before or after you took two in under five minutes?” Brian asked, looking at her seriously for a moment.

“You had another without me?!” Bessy slapped her friend. “We’re supposed to get drunk together. And that only works when I take the same amount as you!”

“I’m sorry!” Cece laughed, ignoring the silent conversation going on between Brian and Sal next to her. “Here,” she snagged two shots off the table. “Bottoms up.”

“Now we’re down a shot,” Murray threw up his hands in mock exaggeration.

“Make that two,” Jeremy cackled, leaning forward and grabbing two as well.

“Well now we’re down to two shots and three of us,” Murray rolled his eyes. “We’re still off.”

“Actually one of those was for Ming, so technically you’re two for four,” Cece smirked. “The way you figure out who misses out on the shot comes down to Brian.”

“And how do you figure that?” Sal said, turning to her interestedly.

“Well he’s taking me home tonight, right?” Cece winced as Brian’s face flushed red all the way down his neck. “That sounded way less dirty in my head,” she laughed it off. “What I mean is that are you staying sober and driving us home? Or are we Ubering there?” There was a lingering silence for a few moments before Sal leaned forward.

“Been a while since the pair of you got trashed,” he suggested innocently. Brian’s eyes narrowed at him.

“You’re goading him,” Cece slapped Sal’s arm. “If he doesn’t want to do it with me, he doesn’t have to do it with me.”

“Wow you’re drunk,” Joe laughed as Sal clutched on to Murray as they collapsed with laughter.

“Hush Captain Fat Belly,” she pointed across the table at her friend. She looked back to Brian. “I’m sorry I’m so awkward. You don’t have to drink. Us both drinking usually never ends well anyway.” A series of hazy nights flashed through Cece’s mind: the greens, yellows, and purples of Mardi Gras in New Orleans; the silvers and blues of the wedding they went to where she, Brian, Murray, and Sal drowned all their single person sorrows away; the Galantine’s Days where they got blistering drunk and Joe had to come get them; the nights they played video games until they passed out; the nights on the beach on vacations; the cruises where there was alcohol aplenty; the last time they drank…the last time. Cece blanched as she realized that Brian was thinking the same thing and she quickly stuttered to cover her tracks.

“Remember that night in Puerto Rico where Sal was trying to be all ‘cultured’ and you and I took shots every time he was said ‘my country’.”

“You assholes puked on my shoes on purpose didn’t you?” Sal sat up straight and pointed at the two of them.

“Remember when Bessy and I challenged you and Mur to a shot contest?”

“And we showed you up!” Bessy cackled, high fiving the girl across the table.

And just like that, the table was off telling stories about how they all got drunk together and all of the mischief they championed. Brian shook his head, knowing exactly what Cece had done, but no idea how to tell her that the kiss meant everything to him. He took both shots off of the tray and downed them in succession. They bright, sugary taste was worth seeing Cece grin at him from across the table.

Brian Quinn was definitely edging closer to drunk. Bessy and Jeremy were relentless in demanding that he catch up to where they were. Way too many shots later, he found himself sitting with the TESD crew as they regaled him with stories of what he had missed and how to bring Cece back in as either a regular or as a guest.

“And I swear to you,” Walt was saying, waving his arms wildly. “She didn’t even flinch.”

“I’ve never seen anyone manage that,” Ming roared with laughter. “I mean, damn.”

“She’s welcome back any time,” Bryan said with a lopsided grin.

“Tell her that, not me,” Brian waved his hand out on towards the dance floor where Cece and Bessy had vanished over a half an hour ago.

“We’re telling you that so that we can kick ya off whenever we damn well please,” Bryan’s grin split his face even wider as Walt and Ming cackled.

“You guys are dicks,” Brian shook his head.

“And that’s why you love us BQ,” Walt smirked, clapping him on the back with a wheeze. “Now, I need another drink. Who else?”

“I could go for one,” Ming rose out of his seat. “There’s a pretty blonde over there who keeps looking my way.”

“Thought you were gonna go after your Star Sapphire,” Brian said, attempting to keep the malice and curiosity out of his tone.

“Please Quinn,” Ming said, suddenly sober. “We all know that it’s not me she’s longing for.”

“What?” Brian knitted his brows together.

“Come on Ming,” Walt smirked. “Let’s go get those drinks.” Brian watched them disappear into the darkened crowed before shaking his head.

“Those two guys are idiots.”

“You know that’s not true,” Bryan said, swirling his drink absentmindedly.

“What, you think Ming’s right? You think Cece has someone in mind? Did she say something on the show?”

“Not in so many words,” Bryan looked out on the dance floor where Cece and Bessy were springing up the steps toward their table. “But with her, I just know.”

“How?” Brian asked after a long pause. “I can never tell with her. Ever. And she’s one of my best friends.”

“How long have you known her Bri?”

“Five years, give or take,” Brian bobbed his head back and forth as he thought, pulling his drink up to his lips.

“And how long have you been in love with her?” Brian inhaled his sip of scotch and it seared his lungs angrily. He coughed violently, pushing the glass away as he tried to find his breath and his heart.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You’re not subtle,” Bryan shrugged. “You’ve loved her for at least half of that.”

“Of course I love her,” Brian sputtered. “It’s Cece! Everyone loves Cece.”

“Don’t bullshit me. You are in love with that girl. And have been for years. You can protest and deny it all you want, but you are. It’s in your eyes when you look at her. On your face when you talk about her. And if you get one more God damn text message from her in our taping sessions, I’m gonna break your phone.”

“It’s not like that,” Brian shook his head. “And even if it was, it’d be a fruitless endeavor.”

“You really don’t see it do you?”

“See what?” Brian looked confused. Bryan scoffed.

“Oh, to be young and blind. “

“What’s that supposed to me?”

“She looks at you. All the time. You two are drawn to each other like some…dysfunctional magnets that can’t get their pull right.”

“We’re friends,” Brian emphasized as he looked out across to the table.

“Yeah,” Bryan rolled his eyes and stood. “Because friends make out in back hallways and avoid having a real conversation about it without you two lying and saying it didn’t mean anything to either of you.” Brian blinked at the forwardness, unable to find the right words. “You two have known each other for years. I’m surprised you can’t tell when you’re both lying.”

“How do you know about that?” Brian rose from his chair as Bryan took a step back.

“I know everything,” the man smirked. “Go talk it out. Go see how right I am.”

“I don’t do romance,” Brian called after his friend.

“Good thing she doesn’t either!” Bryan hollered without turning around.

Brian scratched the side of his face where the TMNT mask was pressing into his skin as he tried to dissect his friend’s words. Am I really that obvious he thought to himself as he began to scan the crowd as he took a few steps forward toward the steps his colleagues had vanished down. If I am, why hasn’t Cece seen it? His eyes instantly flickered over to her, seeking her out. He was stunned to be met with a pair of stunning green eyes that were staring, unblinkingly at him. Cece, who had gotten progressively more drunk as well, smiled at him before sucking her bottom lip into her teeth with a coy glance away.

Brian’s heart leapt; I want her his mind screamed at him. He shook the thoughts out, blaming the alcohol as he began to cross the dance floor toward the group. He continued to shove the thoughts down as his eyes caught sight of Sal, precariously handling a tray across the floor and up the stairs. Sal passed the hallway which caused a mirage of Cece and himself to pass before Brian’s eyes. Her hands in his hair as he pressed her against the wall, her lips tasting like peppermint chapstick, whiskey, and heaven, and her muscles rippling underneath the pads of his hands. He could feel the blood begin to rush southward as he climbed the stairs and tried to will his body to stop reacting like a pre-pubescent kid seeing porn for the first time.

Joe and Bessy passed him with a wave on his way up and he had spotted Jeremey out on the dance floor as he traversed the area. Brian grimaced at the sight before him; Cece had commandeered most of the back of the booth, her legs crossed up on the bench; her back was leaning against Sal’s side as his arm was slung around her, fingers interlaced with hers as they both laughed at a red-faced Murray.

“Splinter is not a ferret,” Murray’s voice carried over to Brian as he came closer. “And besides, if I had been that, who would’ve been the fourth turtle, huh?”

“I think Cece could’ve done a good job of it,” Sal bumped his shoulder against Cece who tilted her head up at him.

“I would make a badass Donatello,” she giggled.

“If you’re anyone in the series, you’re April,” Murray shook his head and took another drink.

“Ugh,” Cece shook her head as she took a large gulp of her drink. “Hell no. If I’m anyone, I’m Venus.”

“You mean the one character who isn’t officially confirmed?” Brian chuckled as he slid into the chair at the end of the booth. “Yeah, sounds like you.”

“Hey,” Cece pointed across the table at him with her almost empty glass. “Next Mutation was a bright light in the TMNT franchise.”

“Says who? Some of the worst writing ever. And besides, it’s basically the furthest adaptation from the originals. And you’re the one who is a slave to original comics.”

“I’m nobodies slave Brian Quinn,” Cece’s mocked glared at him.

“No, but you are a slave to comics,” he winked at her. That drew a laugh out of her and a nod.

“Fine, I’ll give that to you. I do like my comics.”

“Speaking of,” Sal said, looking across the table at Brian with an evil glint in his eyes. “Your costume is awesome.”

“Hey thanks!” she beamed, shifting in the booth to look herself over.

“Yeah,” Murray jumped in, clueing in as to what Sal was doing. “You look amazing.”

“Aren’t you two pouring on the charm,” Cece narrowed her eyes slightly. She pulled away from Sal to glance between the pair of them. “What did you two do?”

“Why do you always assume that we’ve done something wrong when we compliment you?” Sal chuckled.

“It’s usually true.”

“Well maybe we just wanted to tell you how beautiful you are,” Sal’s face turned serious as he met her eyes. Cece blinked, a flush somewhat creeping up her neck before she shook her head.

“Good thing I’m immune to your charm Vulcano or I’d think you were trying to take me home.”

“What if he is?” Murray said, leaning forward on his elbows. Brian could feel his entire body vibrating as he glared between his two friends. Luckily, Cece was oblivious as she looked across the table at him.

“I’ve already got someone who is taking me home tonight.” Brian was dimly aware of Sal breaking into a wide grin and Murray glancing over at him with a smirk. His mind flipped through images of what he wished taking Cece home entailed; getting his lips on her skin to see if she tasted anything like Pina coladas, peeling that damn suit off of her, her hands on his skin- “Jesus, I need to stop opening my mouth!” Brian blinked as Cece smacked the table. “I didn’t mean it like that and y’all know it.”

“No, no, no, by all means,” Sal gestured between the two of them. “Take him home with you tonight! Neither of you have gotten laid in a while.”

“How do you know when the last time I got laid was?” Cece laughed, face obviously grateful for the change in topic.

“You get this dopy grin on your face and you’re super chill. You’ve been uptight for months now. Even with Dr. Asshat.”

“It has not been months.”

“Then how long has it been?” Sal challenged her. Cece began to do math in her head and slowly her face melted into a look of shock. “I rest my case.” Cece shook her head to clear it and shoved Sal.

“Go dance with that hot redhead who’s been making eyes at you all night!”

“Alright! Alright!” Sal laughed, loudly and openly as he scooted out of the booth.

“And you,” she turned to Murray who widened his eyes in concern. “Go talk to that girl at the bar who hasn’t stopped looking at you since you walked away from her.”

“You were alone and I- “

“Shut up,” she slapped him in the back of his head. “I’m not being held responsible for you not getting laid. Go.”

“But you- “

“Are an adult who is perfectly capable of taking care of herself,” she shoved him. “Get!”

“Jesus you’re pushy!” Murray grumbled, jokingly. “Sal’s right. You need to get laid.” Cece gritted her teeth and lunged at Murray, who leapt away with a giggle.

“Easy Cece, easy,” Brian chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist to keep her from chasing after him. He pulled her back towards the booth, leaning down to make sure she heard him. “You can get him back by helping us with his next punishment.”

“Oh, I’ll think of something completely evil then,” her abs and back flexed underneath his arm.

“You can help with Sal’s too,” Brian chuckled, leaning closer to Cece as she relaxed and fell into his chest.

“Make it a double punishment and I’ll find something completely evil.” She looked up and met his eyes with a smile. Her eyes were dancing with mirth and Brian’s own eyes flashed as he licked his lips. Cece followed the movement before coughing and pulling away. “So any luck for you tonight?”

“I’m not looking really,” Brian rubbed the back of his neck as Cece slid into the booth again.

“Why not?” she looked up at him with an adorable tilt of her head.

“Well I’ve got you.” Brian winced and shook his head. “Not what I meant.”

“Neither of us are good with phrasing,” Cece laughed, patting the seat next to her as she pulled a tray of shots closer to her along with two brand new refills of both of their drinks. “You can sit next to me Quinn. I don’t bite.” Brian had to think about the best version of TMNT to keep the image of Cece biting down on his neck from flooding into his brain.

“How much have you had to drink?” Brian asked as she poured another shot down her throat.

“Not enough,” she laughed bitterly.

“What does that mean?” Brian asked, taking the small glass from Cece’s hands.

“It means these past few weeks have been one shitfest after another.” Brian internally winced and down the shot. “Day after you left, the letters and flowers started to come.”

“Letters?”

“And flowers,” Cece shook her head, swirling the dark whiskey around her glass. “Bouquets as big as Joe’s nose.” Brian chuckled slightly at that, trying to hide his concern. “‘My beautiful flower,’” she spat disgustedly. She paused. “I thought I had this whole thing behind me. I’ve got the scars to bear from it, why do I have to relive all of this all over again?”

“People are idiots,” Brian said with a shrug.

“You can say that again,” she scoffed.

“Listen,” Brian turned to her so his entire body was facing her. “I’m not army guy or some big strong protection detail. But I will protect you with my life. I promise.”

“Why?” she shook her head. “You’re putting yourself in harm’s way for what? Your co-worker?”

“My friend.” Cece’s face twisted into what Brian thought was a grimace before her hand shot out and grabbed another shot.

“Well I’m glad I’m your friend,” she huffed out after the shot.

“Of course you’re my friend,” Brian’s eyes narrowed. “Why wouldn’t you be?”

“Last time we spoke, we…said some shit.” Brian’s heart stuttered. “You especially. ‘I shouldn’t have done that. It meant nothing.’ Not really something you should say to a girl after you kiss her, Bri.”

“I…I didn’t mean to make it seem like- “

“I know, I know.” Cece waved the air in his direction before taking a large gulp of the glass in front of her. “I know you think it was a mistake. You don’t have to say it again. I pushed your buttons and I shouldn’t have.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“And why is that?” Cece glared up at him.

“Why do you think it was a mistake?” Brian growled, pushing his glass away from him.

“Because you made it very clear that it was one.”

“Don’t you agree with me?”

“You obviously had a reason for doing it.”

“It was the only way to shut you up.”

“Wow. Okay.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t do that.”

“I’m not doing anything! I’m just taking more shots.”

“Give me that,” Brian took the shot from her and slammed it on the table, liquid spilling over onto his hands. “Stop pushing me away.”

“Like you pushed me away?” Cece challenged.

“Don’t do that,” he pointed at her.

“Alright. Fuck it. You’re stuck with me for the night, so here it is.” Cece squared up to Brian and glared at him. “I thought you kissed me because I checked all the boxes. That you actually wanted to kiss me. And maybe it was because of the alcohol that I misread things. So I’m sorry that you’re so tortured about what we did. It won’t happen again.” Brian was so flabbergasted that his brain didn’t even register Cece taking the shot back and gulping it down, chasing it with the whiskey in front of her. “And now you come back playing the Knight in Shining Armor like nothing happened and that it’s suddenly your duty to protect me. You barely look at me all day and then once shit hits the fan, then you decide to step and protect me from some psychopath that you don’t even know, that you didn’t even knew existed before today. And for what?”

“To protect you.”

“I don’t need protecting.”

“Obviously you do.”

“I can handle myself just fine.”

“You didn’t seem like that earlier today.”

“Fuck you Quinn,” Cece glared at him. “Go and take some girl home tonight and do what you do best. Abandon ship after you toss them.”

“Don’t start,” Brian clenched his fist on the table.

“I’ll start whatever I want.”

“Why are you being like this?” Brian asked, snagging her hand before she reach the tray of shots. 

“Because I actually thought you wanted to kiss me,” Cece growled, her face inches away from his as her eyes flashed with anger. “Not to shut me up. Not because of the alcohol or any of the other bullshit that you’re going to pull. I thought you _wanted_ to kiss me.” Cece yanked her wrist out of Brian’s suddenly limp grasp. She ground her teeth together and her fists clench and flex on the table. Fucking alcohol she thought to herself. Loose lips sink ships. She looked up to meet Brian’s gaze. There was an underlying want that Cece could see beneath the confusion that was on the surface. Blame it on the alcohol. She leaned forward, into Brian’s personal space so their noses were almost touching. “And in case you didn’t notice, I kissed you _back_.”

Brian was so silent and unmoving that Cece thought that she had certainly crossed a line. She could feel her own face melt out of anger into embarrassment and she began to pull away from him. Before she could leave his personal space, Brian’s large hand wrapped around her bicep and yanked her into him. Their lips crashed together and Cece couldn’t stop the squeak of surprise from molding into a breathy groan at the taste of whiskey and the scratch of Brian’s beard growing back in.

He swallowed her groan and responded with his own growl to wrap his other hand around her back to pull her in close. Even through the tight fabric of the costume, Brian could feel her back muscles rippling in response in order to get closer to him. He couldn’t stop the spinning in his head as her hands cupped his jaw and began to wind their way into his hair. Brian’s brain was short-circuiting with need _need needneedNEED_ for Cece. It slowly slid into his brain, that they were very much out in the open and everyone could definitely see them.

“Cece,” Brian pulled back with a gasp.

“No,” Cece’s hands tightened sharply and Brian couldn’t stop the broken moan that tumbled out of his lips. “You walked away from me once and I’m not letting that happen again.” She slanted his lips against hers and pulled him so close that their chests were touching. The heat radiating from her bare skin was his doom. He lurched against her and gasped into her mouth.

“Cece,” he tried again. His thoughts vanished as her lips began to trail down his neck. “God damn it Cece. Wait.” He pushed her back.

“Do you not want this?” she snapped at him, pulling away. “Do you not want me?”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Of course I want you!”

“Then take me.”


End file.
